Twelve victims' associations send letters to more than 1,000 addresses: Stop the denial of genocide

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - On Monday and Tuesday, letters were sent to more than 1,000 domestic and international addresses by 12 victims' associations, on the occasion of the verdict against Radovan Karadžić before the Hague tribunal. 

The sent letter demands the legal implementation of the Karadžić verdict for genocide and crimes against humanity, through the adoption of a Law on the Prohibition of Denial of Genocide and Crimes.

"We also demand the annulment of decorations awarded by the RS entity authorities to Karadžić and other convicted war criminals," the letter states. 

The letters were sent to the Office of the High Representative, members of the Peace Implementation Council, representatives and delegates of both houses of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH and the Parliament of the Federation. Letters were sent individually to all members of the European Parliament, as well as to the leadership of the European Commission and the Council of Europe, the United Nations, and other organizations and institutions dealing with human rights issues.

"After the verdict, nothing is the same. We call on the OHR, PIC, and domestic parliamentarians to declare within the next seven days on the letter in which we demand respect for the verdict of the international court and protection of victims. Compassion for victims is a key measure of humanity. We also call on European parliamentarians to demand that the adoption of the law on the prohibition of genocide denial be a condition on BiH's European path, and for all other countries that deny genocide. It cannot be normal and must not be tolerated to celebrate criminals and deny genocide. The European Parliament adopted a resolution on genocide, we have seen in recent days that the state of Belgium has announced the adoption of a law on the prohibition of genocide denial, some countries have done so earlier. It must not happen that denying genocide is banned across Europe and the world, but only in Bosnia and Herzegovina it is allowed," the letter states. 

Anyone who wishes well for Bosnia and Herzegovina and anyone who respects human rights, who is civilized and moral, must openly support our request to proclaim this most important Law for the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina and to annul decorations to criminals, because that is an unacceptable practice on the face of 21st-century Europe, said the 12 associations of victims and witnesses of genocide.