Fatmir Alispahić Verdict on November 19

(Patria) - The Prosecution and Defense presented their closing arguments at the trial for inciting national, racial, and religious hatred, discord, and intolerance against Fatmir Alispahić, whose verdict is scheduled for November 19.

Prosecutor Kasim Halilčević told the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina hearing that the Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina fully stands by the allegations in the indictment against Fatmir Alispahić.

He is accused of repeatedly, during 2019 and 2020, via the website Antimigrant.ba, for which he is the administrator and content editor, as well as via social networks, publishing texts and videos filled with statements that incite and spread hatred towards migrants and the migrant population, as well as between the constituent peoples in BiH.

The prosecutor emphasized that he believes the criminal offenses attributed to Alispahić have been proven, and that the published articles incited, among other things, racial and religious hatred. Also, the prosecutor stated, a violation of the Press Code was established.

"The texts incited intolerance towards migrants and caused outrage," said the prosecutor, emphasizing that even the name of the portal Antimigrant.ba is problematic.

He also said that "migrants were put in a negative connotation" and that the texts aimed to provoke conflict between migrants and the local population.

The prosecutor concluded his closing statement by requesting that Alispahić be found guilty and sentenced.

Lawyer Mensur Radončić, the defense counsel for the accused, stated in his closing argument that Alispahić has always advocated for the humane treatment of migrants, and that the Prosecution failed to precisely identify the offenses for which it would seek a specific sanction.

The defense counsel said that the entire indictment resembles a "smorgasbord" where "nothing is concretized" and that the conclusion that Alispahić incited hatred and discrimination is arbitrary.

"Alispahić acted in good faith. He never said for anyone to take a rifle and kill migrants. He called for the activation of security mechanisms in the country," said Alispahić's lawyer, adding that the claim that migrants posed a security threat is certainly acceptable.

Radončić requested Alispahić's acquittal.

The verdict is scheduled for November 19, writes BIRN.