Prosecutor Miroslav Janjić reported to HJPC over criticism of the Court after Naser Orić's verdict

(Patria) - The Disciplinary Prosecutor's Office has confirmed to the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIRN BiH) that it has registered ex officio complaints against prosecutor Miroslav Janjić who criticized the Court of BiH and the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC) after the verdict against Naser Orić and Sabahudin Muhić.

"The Disciplinary Prosecutor's Office of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council wishes to inform you that it has registered ex officio complaints regarding all allegations concerning the mentioned verdict pronouncement," stated the Disciplinary Prosecutor's Office.

On Friday, the Appellate Panel of the State Court definitively acquitted Orić and Muhić of charges of murdering Serb prisoners in Srebrenica and Bratunac. Prosecutor Miroslav Janjić, who told BIRN BiH that he did so in protest, was not present at the verdict pronouncement.

"For me to be present at the pronouncement, a verdict would have had to be delivered. For a verdict to be delivered, there would have to be a court. For the court to be the Court of BiH, there should also be Serbs in the courtroom," Janjić told BIRN BiH after the verdict.

This reaction was condemned on the same day by the State Prosecutor's Office, which stated that "Prosecutor Janjić's expressed stance is not the stance of the BiH Prosecutor's Office".

At the time of writing this text, Janjić could not comment on the Disciplinary Prosecutor's Office's statements for BIRN BiH, saying that he had not yet been informed about them.

The State Prosecutor's Office could not comment on whether any sanctions would be initiated against Janjić, stating that they stand by their position that "Prosecutor Janjić's expressed stance is not the stance of the BiH Prosecutor's Office".

In addition to Janjić, two judges of the Appellate Panel – Dragomir Vukoje and Senadin Begtašević – were also absent from the verdict pronouncement for Orić and Muhić.

When asked about the reasons for their absence, the State Court told BIRN BiH that they are still awaiting their statements.