Pettigrew: RS authorities' initiative represents an attempt to legitimize genocide denial

As he warned, making genocide denial an official policy in RS constitutes a new form of attack on the rule of law and the constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as part of an ongoing strategy by the authorities in that entity aimed at destabilizing the state. At the same time, turning genocide denial into official policy represents, he said, a treacherous betrayal of the truth about genocide and a betrayal that retraumatizes survivors.

"Declaring an official policy of genocide denial and glorification of war criminals indicates an increased risk of the repetition of crimes, as it legitimizes and normalizes them," assessed professor Pettigrew.

He believes such announcements reflect the consequences of inaction by the prosecutor’s office and the Office of the High Representative (OHR) regarding transitional justice initiatives.

"Their inactivity has led to an escalation of genocide denial and the glorification of war criminals. Although it is unlikely to succeed, the RS Government’s plan to make denial official policy is in itself a form of denial and trivialization of genocide that deserves to be prosecuted," Pettigrew emphasized.

In this context, he recalled the case of the Ratko Mladić mural in Kalinovik, which was illegally installed and, as he noted, neither the prosecutor’s office nor the High Representative showed any will to prosecute or remove it.

"There must be no further concessions to separatist ideology and threats of secession. RS must no longer serve as a frontline of resistance to the EU and NATO on behalf of Serbia and the Russian Federation," the professor said.

He stressed that the High Representative must finally address the eliminationist and separatist goals of RS authorities and the culture of impunity, emphasizing that survivors should be supported in their efforts to erect memorials at sites in RS where war crimes, including genocide, were committed.

"Citizens' appeals for constitutional reform in line with rulings of the European Court of Human Rights must no longer go unnoticed, as there is an urgent need for action in the fields of transitional justice and constitutional reform to ensure a democratic future for Bosnia and Herzegovina," professor Pettigrew concluded.