The State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) recently conducted inspections at veteran organizations in Istocno Sarajevo and Foca due to the display of photos of convicted war criminals Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic.

SIPA confirmed that these inspections carried out about ten days ago, aimed to document potential criminal activity under the offence of “incitement to ethnic, racial, and religious hatred.” According to SIPA spokesperson Jelena Miovcic, the inspections were conducted respectfully, and members of the organizations allowed officers to enter cooperatively.

Andjelko Nosovic, president of the Association of Prison Camp Detainees of Republika Srpska, called the investigation “unreasonable,” questioning the focus on these organizations rather than incidents such as a recent act of terrorism in Bosanska Krupa.

Under a 2021 amendment to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Criminal Code, genocide denial and the glorification of convicted war criminals are criminal offences, punishable by up to three years in prison. Since the amendment, the State Prosecutor’s Office has filed two indictments, including one against Vojin Pavlovic, head of the “Eastern Alternative” Association, for publicly celebrating Ratko Mladic and supporting genocide in Srebrenica, Detektor.ba reported.