Organized by the Association of War Victims "Foca 92-95", on Sunday, June 18, the International Day of Combating Sexual Violence against Women in War will be marked in Foca. On that occasion, the Association president Midheta Kaloper said that during the aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina, 586 women were killed in this town and over 1,000 were raped. Pročitaj više

Speaking at a press conference in Sarajevo, on Thursday, Kaloper recalled that not a single memorial was raised to honour war victims in Foca and that indicates for the crimes against Bosniak civilians are still walking freely in that town.

“Our fight is a fight for prosecuting war crimes. A total of rape 17 verdicts were passed for Foca so far. Of course, the number of those crimes is much higher, and the perpetrators are still walking around freely,” said Kaloper.

Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) deputy editor Dzana Brkanic recalled that last year the BiH Prosecutor's Office issued a total of 15 indictments related to war crimes, while the indictments specifically for the crime of rape can be counted on the fingers of one hand.

“We are in the month of June, when the Day against sexual violence against women in war is marked, and in this half year, the Prosecutor's Office of BiH filed only one indictment for rape. I think that victims, victims’ representatives, men and women, let's not forget that a large number of men were raped during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, have every right to be outraged at the slowness in processing war crimes. That is why I want to invite you, colleagues from the media, to provide constant support to all associations in BiH in their fight against stigmatization and prejudice. I invite you to report on crimes every day,” Brkanic said.

In 2005, the United Nations General Assembly declared June 19 as the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, to raise awareness of the need to end sexual violence related to war and conflict, to honour victims of sexual violence worldwide and to all those who bravely lost their lives and dedicated their lives to the fight to eradicate these crimes.