Izetbegović gave a statement at SIPA: Verbal offense is being introduced for politicians from FBiH, while genocide denial is tolerated

(Patria) - SDA President Bakir Izetbegović addressed the media after giving a statement at the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) in the presence of his lawyer Senka Nožica.

"I gave a statement and asked them to provide me with the full text of the press conference from which one statement was extracted and from the speech in Hadžići where two or three sentences were extracted. Even from such reduced sentences, it cannot be concluded that it incites hatred. If you saw these excerpts and what is being attributed to me, as well as to Mr. Suljagić and Bajrović, you would find it unbelievable. The only thing more unbelievable is what is not being prosecuted when it comes to denying genocide, celebrating war criminals, insulting on a national basis - what is tolerated when it comes to politicians from RS. A kind of verbal offense is being introduced for politicians from FBiH, especially Bosniaks, I think it is an attempt to relativize parties and the truth in BiH.

The statements were made at a time when we were trying to oppose the imposition of what the High Representative would later impose. When Milorad Dodik threatened to ban the work of the BiH Armed Forces in the territory of RS, to take over the barracks by force as it was done in 1992. When they sang songs about the bloody Drina flowing, when Vulin stated that the amendment to the law imposed by Inzko on the prohibition of genocide denial is a threat to the lives of Bosniaks. There is nothing in my statements that could be linked to inciting national hatred," said Bakir Izetbegović.

Lawyer Senka Nožica said that by no criteria can these extracted sentences constitute hate speech.

"I am surprised that someone is being accused based on extracted sentences from a text because the prosecutor, who takes into account the existing standards for these offenses, must know that only the full text can indicate the context in which something was said and whether it can constitute hate speech or not.

We asked for the full text, and if they don't have it, we will provide it to the prosecutor, and thus we will do her job, but we are sure that once we do that, she will abandon this investigation. There is no element here for initiating criminal proceedings, because we learned today that an investigation has been initiated, and there is no element here for any kind of verification," said Nožica.

She explained that everyone has the right to file a criminal complaint, but it is up to the prosecutor to assess whether the complaint warrants initiating any proceedings and launching an investigation.

"Mr. Izetbegović is a politician and he will not defend himself with silence, he will say everything he thinks. The only thing we can expect is that the Prosecutor's Office will be reasonable, professional, and less politically biased and will suspend this investigation," said Nožica.

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Izetbegović arrived at SIPA accompanied by his lawyer Senka Nožica

(Patria) - SDA President Bakir Izetbegović arrived today at the State Agency for Investigations and Protection (SIPA) accompanied by his lawyer Senka Nožica, following an order from the BiH Prosecutor's Office which requested that Izetbegović be questioned based on a report by Slaven Raguž for