Panel in Ahmići: Stop Regional Revisionism, Protect Victims from New Persecution

(Patria) - In Ahmići, on the eve of another sad anniversary of the HVO's most brutal and severe crime in BiH, a panel discussion was held where panelists from the NGO sector from Croatia and BiH, the Hague Tribunal and the Association "16 April Ahmići" reached several conclusions on the topic "Judicially Established Facts versus Glorification of Crimes".

We convey the conclusions in full:

1. We condemn regional revisionism, we condemn every form of revisionism, starting from the denial of crimes, affirmation and glorification of crimes and criminals, political and state protection of criminals, and in this regard systematic attacks, insults and disparagement of victims are unacceptable and must not be tolerated and must be prevented and sanctioned by the competent authorities in BiH and the region. We call on the UN, the EU, their representatives and bodies to take all available means and mechanisms to protect the legacy of the ICTY/MICT, thwart and stop the aforementioned policies of revisionism in the region and provide protection to victims through their Mechanisms.

2. We call on the UN to hold a special discussion regarding the regular and semi-annual reports of the ICTY/MICT and the reports of the Office of the High Representative - OHR regarding revisionist actions in the region, denial of genocide and other crimes, and the issue of regional cooperation in the prosecution of war criminals.



3. We call on the competent institutions in BiH to immediately and without fail implement the Revised State Strategy and annex B of the strategy and provide legal protection to victims and witnesses of crimes.

4. We call on the competent institutions in BiH to immediately proceed with the prosecution of all forms of denial of the legacy of the ICTY/MICT, domestic and international courts.

5. We welcome the Decision of the High Representative for BiH that convicted war criminals cannot be on electoral lists. We call on the High Representative for BiH to severely sanction every form of denial of crimes, especially by the highest state and political office holders in BiH.



6. Truth and justice have no alternative, as do peace, cooperation and mutual relations of trust and understanding. Transitional justice mechanisms have no alternative. We call on international and domestic representatives to once again additionally activate transitional truth and justice mechanisms that can ensure peace and cooperation. Protecting the legacy of the ICTY/MICT is in this regard a primary goal.

7. We call on cantonal, entity and state ministries, especially ministries of education, to find ways to include in curricula the facts about the conflicts of the 1990s established before the ICTY/MICT and domestic courts.

8. We call on all political parties in BiH and the region, especially those that in the past have shown understanding for the suffering of victims of the 1990s conflicts, to pay additional attention in the future to the appeals of victims' associations and begin representing their interests before state and local authorities.

9. We call on all competent authorities in the region to review the lists of people decorated in the past and revoke decorations from all those who have in the meantime been convicted of war crimes.

10. We call on all media to, when reporting on the conflicts of the 1990s, without fail include in their texts and contributions judicially established facts and respect the suffering of crime victims".