Interactive map of Sarajevo shelling presented, featuring 116 locations where citizens were killed and wounded during the siege

(Patria) - The University of Sarajevo – Institute for Research of Crimes Against Humanity and International Law presented an interactive map "Shelling of Sarajevo during the Siege", authored by Dr. sc. Merisa Karović-Babić, a senior research associate at the Institute. The interactive map was presented to the public on the occasion of the 32nd anniversary of the Markale marketplace massacre and the Day of Remembrance for the citizens of Sarajevo killed and wounded during the siege period of 1992-1995.

The interactive map "Shelling of Sarajevo during the Siege" digitally presents the results of many years of scientific research on mass crimes against civilians in Sarajevo, and covers 116 locations where three or more civilians were killed at the same time and in the same place.

Dr. sc. Muamer Džananović, Director of the Institute, and Dr. sc. Merisa Karović-Babić, Senior Research Associate at the Institute, addressed the press conference.

"By presenting the interactive map Shelling of Sarajevo during the Siege, the Institute continues its fundamental mission – scientifically based documentation of crimes and preservation of legal and historical truth. This project, based on years of empirical and archival research, presents precisely mapped massacre locations with the names of victims and data from primary sources. The interactive map is not just a digital representation of the past – it is also a knowledge base, evidence, and a powerful educational tool. Making it available to the public represents an important step towards the accessibility of historical facts," said Džananović.

During her presentation, Dr. Karović-Babić presented the content of the Interactive Map and the results of her research to the public. She emphasized that this is part of her work on the project of researching crimes committed in Sarajevo from 1992 to 1995:

"On the slides and photographs attached to each location mapped on the map, we list the number and identity of the victims (surname, first name, father's name, date and place of birth), as well as data related to the date, time, and place of the crime, the circumstances, and a detailed description of the massacre. The approach applied in this interactive map aims to objectify historical facts and reduce the omnipresent manipulation of crimes. The content published in the interactive map is intended for all victims of the barbaric siege of Sarajevo, future generations, educational institutions for the purpose of educating students, and for the Bosnian-Herzegovinian society to confront crimes."

The interactive map represents a unique database of mass crimes against civilians in Sarajevo during the siege, based on years of empirical and archival research. The data presented on the map were collected from numerous primary sources, including court and police documentation, medical records, death certificates, eyewitness testimonies, as well as domestic and international archival materials. The fact that previously unpublished materials from the author's personal archive are used, which are made available to the wider public for the first time, gives special value to the map.

Through precise mapping of massacre locations by municipalities and settlements, accompanied by the circumstances of the crimes and the identities of the victims, the project provides a systematic insight into the scale and patterns of shelling of civilian targets during the siege of Sarajevo. The published content aims to preserve the dignity of the victims, strengthen the culture of remembrance, and contribute to the process of society's confrontation with war crimes, and represents a significant educational resource for educational institutions, researchers, students, and future generations.