Request for recusal of judges in Dodik's case rejected

Dodik’s defense requested the recusal of judges Vesna Jesenkovic and Hilmo Vucinic, who, along with Amel Huskic, make up the second-instance panel that will deliver a final ruling in Dodik’s case.

Due to this request, the hearing originally scheduled for 1:00 p.m. was postponed to 4:00 p.m.

The defense based its request on Article 29 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which states that a judge who was previously involved in decision-making during earlier phases of a case should not take part in the appeals process.

Bubic (Dodik’s lawyer) stated that Jesenkovic had been involved in the decision to reject the request to transfer the case from the Court of BiH to a court in Banja Luka, while Vucinic, according to him, was a member of the panel that considered the appeal to that decision.

The first-instance verdict against Dodik and the acting director of the Official Gazette of Republika Srpska, Milos Lukic was delivered on February 26.

Dodik was found guilty of failing to comply with decisions of the High Representative and was sentenced to one year in prison and a six-year ban on holding the office of president of Republika Srpska. Lukic was acquitted.