Professor Pettigrew urges memorialization and removal of Mladic mural in Kalinovik

Addressing an audience that included survivors and representatives of the "Istina Kalinovik 92" association, Pettigrew underscored that the presence of families at the site affirms the fundamental right to remember those who perished in 1992, including individuals such as Dr Abdurahman Filipovic, Avdija Skoro, and Salko Vranovic, whose remains have yet to be identified.

In his address, titled "Kalinovik 2026.: An Appeal for Transitional Justice Initiatives to Protect the Right to Memorialization and Prevent the Glorification of War Criminals," the professor called upon the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, and the Office of the High Representative to facilitate the establishment of memorials at specific sites of former wartime detention. These locations include the former Barutni Magacin concentration camp and the local elementary school, which served as a major detention facility during the conflict.

A significant portion of Pettigrew’s appeal focused on the mural of Ratko Mladić located at the entrance to Kalinovik. Asserting that the mural was installed in 2018 by Vlada Mandić without the required permits or municipal approvals, Pettigrew argued that the structure must be removed immediately. He characterized the mural as a source of retraumatization for survivors and a direct contradiction to the values of transitional justice, noting that it glorifies a figure convicted of genocide.

Concluding his remarks, the professor emphasized that the removal of the mural and the creation of official memorials are essential for building a lasting peace. He urged local and international authorities to confront hate speech and genocide denial, positioning a respectful culture of remembrance as the necessary foundation for a democratic future in Bosnia and Herzegovina.