Republika Srpska entity moves to abolish Bosnia’s genocide denial prohibition

The controversial move targets legal provisions introduced in July 2021 by the then High Representative. These laws also criminalise the glorification of individuals convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity by final court rulings.

Speaking at a press conference following a government session, RS Minister of Justice Goran Selak argued that the offence is defined "only at the state level," pointing out that entity-level legislation does not recognise such a category of crime.

Minister Selak confirmed that the RS Government had reviewed the practical application of the current law. "One person from Republika Srpska has been sentenced to three years in prison, while proceedings are ongoing against two further individuals," he noted.

The administration in Banja Luka intends to escalate the challenge with a scheduled roundtable discussion on 27 April, followed by a special session of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska. The initiative is expected to further strain relations between the entity and state-level institutions, as well as the international community.