Pavlović's Request Rejected, Must Go to Prison for Glorifying Criminals

(Patria) - The Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina has rejected, as unfounded, the request of Vojin Pavlović to postpone the execution of the State Court's verdict sentencing him to a unified prison term of three and a half years for inciting hatred.

Vojin Pavlović asked the Constitutional Court of BiH to postpone the execution of the verdict of the Court of BiH from October last year, by which he was sentenced to a unified prison term of three and a half years for inciting national, racial and religious hatred, discord and intolerance, until a decision on admissibility and merits is made.

He, as stated in the decision of the Constitutional Court, submitted a document according to which he was supposed to report to serve his prison sentence by January 12 this year.

The appellant asked the Constitutional Court to urgently decide on a temporary measure, pointing out that he has serious health problems and that his health condition would worsen upon starting to serve the sentence. In a submission dated January 5, 2026, the appellant urged a decision on the temporary measure.

The Constitutional Court pointed out that it is prescribed that "a request for a temporary measure can be submitted by a participant in proceedings before the Constitutional Court, provided that they have previously, in accordance with the possibility prescribed by law, sought a postponement of the execution of decisions of regular courts or administrative bodies in the proceedings conducted before those courts or bodies."

"The appellant did not use this possibility, i.e., did not offer proof of it. Therefore, the Constitutional Court considers the appellant's request for a temporary measure unfounded," the decision states.

The Court of BiH has already twice granted Pavlović's request for a postponement of the prison sentence to which he was sentenced for approving genocide and glorifying Ratko Mladić, and according to the latest information, he should report to serve his prison sentence this month.

Two indictments were previously filed against Pavlović for inciting national, racial and religious hatred, discord and intolerance, which were merged into one case, and the Appellate Panel sentenced him to three years on one count, while he was sentenced to one year in prison on the other, resulting in a unified prison sentence of three and a half years.

Pavlović was found guilty because he put up a poster of Ratko Mladić, who was convicted of genocide and other war crimes by an international court verdict, and Milorad Dodik, and was aware that this act glorified a war criminal, and that such conduct could cause fear and insecurity among the population.

He was also found guilty of approving and attempting to justify the genocide in Srebrenica by organizing a gathering in Bratunac on July 11, 2023, for which he made posters that read "July 11 – day of the liberation of Srebrenica, thank you to the Army of Republika Srpska."

The decisions of the Constitutional Court are final and binding.