Report highlights escalation of Islamophobia in Republika Srpska

The report focuses on transcripts from the 19th and 20th sessions of the NSRS, held on March 12 and 13, 2025, documenting systemic discrimination and dehumanizing narratives targeting Muslims/Bosniaks. It aims to categorize Islamophobic rhetoric, highlight the continuity of political intolerance, and encourage legal and political mechanisms to combat hate speech.

The report also seeks to contribute to international efforts to sanction religious intolerance and protect human rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The catalyst for the report was the draft of a new constitution for Republika Srpska, which intensified discriminatory rhetoric within the entity's institutions. Particularly concerning is the portrayal of Bosniaks as internal enemies, often labelled as part of "Sarajevo structures," "imposed political mechanisms," or "extremists." Their legitimate political actions are frequently minimized, branded as destructive, or linked to foreign interests, undermining democratic pluralism and equality among constituent peoples.

Statements from RSNA officials further illustrate this narrative. For example, RS Prime Minister Radovan Viskovic described Bosniaks as a threat to peace and stability, while other officials dismissed their political legitimacy and suggested exclusion from Republika Srpska's political life.

The report notes that such rhetoric deepens perceptions of political and institutional disenfranchisement in Republika Srpska. It also highlights the use of dramatization and emotional appeals, often rooted in historical traumas and conspiracy theories, which amplify panic and a sense of threat among the Serb population in Bosnia and Herzegovina.