OHR condemns the glorification of war criminal Ratko Mladic with a mural in Banja Luka

The Association of Victims and Witnesses of Genocide submitted a request to the OHR after Detektor wrote about the new mural in Banja Luka that glorifies Ratko Mladic and disturbs returnees.

In the letter made public, with photos taken by Detektor journalists, they stated that they demand an end to policies of revisionism, denial, and affirmation of war crimes and war criminals in the territory of Republika Srpska.

"The installation of a mural on the building of the Banja Luka Municipality is only one in a series of moves indicating the worrying practices of the current authorities in RS, potentially heralding an attempt to revive scenarios from the 1990s," the Association noted, calling on the High Representative to use his powers.

In response to Detektor’s inquiry, OHR stated that they condemn the glorification.

"Glorifying war criminals deserves unequivocal condemnation, and the competent domestic institutions are obliged to act in such cases," the OHR stated, recalling that it had imposed amendments to the Criminal Code making the glorification of war crimes and war criminals punishable.

The request was also sent by the Association of Victims to Serge Brammertz, Chief Prosecutor of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, noting that he has repeatedly reported on Serbia’s destructive policy, where over 150 murals of war criminals have been installed in downtown Belgrade, and more than 300 at various locations across Serbia.

"Unfortunately, the same trend is present in RS, from Foca, Nevesinje, Trebinje, Bratunac, Kalinovik, Banja Luka, and other places," said Murat Tahirovic, the letter’s signatory.

"According to public statements and messages being sent, war criminals and their glorification are used as instruments of the current authorities in RS, aimed at maintaining and strengthening the same policies that led to genocide and mass crimes in the 1990s," the request stated.

After Detektor journalists documented the mural in Banja Luka, the City of Banja Luka services and the Ministry of Interior of Republika Srpska did not respond to inquiries. Mayor Drasko Stanivukovic also did not answer calls.

The BiH Prosecutor’s Office has filed six indictments for the criminal offense of 'inciting national, racial and religious hatred, discord and intolerance', which includes the prohibition of denying war crimes and glorifying war criminals. The Court of BiH refused to confirm one of the indictments, while in another case it merged two indictments against Vojin Pavlović into a single case. Pavlović has been convicted, but the verdict is not yet final.

Through two investigations, Detektor analyzed negative prosecutorial decisions to identify shortcomings in the Prosecutor’s Office’s handling of reports on denial of crimes and glorification of convicted war criminals. The latest research shows that state prosecutors have provided better reasoning for their decisions over the past two years, but the number of indictments for denial of crimes remains small despite the large number of reports.