Eid al-Adha in the shadow of indictments: The difficult fate of those who defended the homeland

Written by: Amina Čorbo-Zećo

While Muslims across Bosnia and Herzegovina celebrate Eid al-Adha today, one of the most important holidays in our faith, many of those who fought for the freedom of this country spend that day not in the peace of their family home, but in a cell or under charges of war crimes.

Eid al-Adha is a symbol of sacrifice, solidarity and togetherness. But for those who stood in defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the war, who defended every inch of this country and their families, fate is not the same. Many have ended up in courts, convicted or still accused, while their families pray for justice and God's justice, hoping that the truth will one day be heard.

In prisons, behind bars, they cannot perform the Eid prayer with their loved ones. Instead of Eid greetings and joy, they spend the day in the silence of cells, often forgotten, far from the homeland they defended. Their sacrifice and suffering are silenced or distorted, and their stories are erased from collective memory.

On the other hand, those who betrayed this country, who committed crimes, often walk free, while justice is delayed or ignored. Those who defended Bosnia and Herzegovina pay the price of injustice, and their loved ones remain in pain and uncertainty.

Eid al-Adha reminds us of Ibrahim's sacrifice, of strength and pure faith. But in Bosnia and Herzegovina today, that sacrifice is not only a symbol of spirituality, it is also a reminder of injustice and pain. How long will we tolerate the truth being hidden? How long will those who defended the homeland be punished, while those who committed crimes enjoy freedom?

On this day, while many make sacrifices, we should also remember those who truly sacrificed – not only their animals, but their lives, freedom and dignity. They are not just numbers on court lists, they are living memories and heroes of our Bosnia and Herzegovina.

And while mosques echo with the Eid call to prayer, in the silence of prison cells, amid accusations and injustice, these heroes still wait for justice.

Eid al-Adha Mubarak to all, and may justice finally knock on the doors of all those who await it.