Bosnian Prosecutor's Office Overwhelmed by Mladić Glorification Complaints

Bosnia's Prosecutor's Office has received thousands of citizen complaints. These accuse people of glorifying convicted war criminal Ratko Mladić. Police agencies did not file these reports. All complaints will be carefully reviewed.

Ratko Mladić died in a Hague prison on August 27, serving a life sentence. His death led some, including Bosnian Serb politicians and social media users, to glorify him as a hero. This ignored his conviction by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). Such acts violate Bosnia's Criminal Code. The law forbids honoring war criminals or denying their sentences.

High Representative Valentin Inzko imposed these law changes in 2021. Penalties range from three months to five years in prison. Thousands of emails and reports reached the Prosecutor's Office, but police have not yet acted.

The Social Democratic Party of BiH (SDP BiH) charged Republika Srpska politicians, including Milorad Dodik, for their Mladić statements. Dodik claimed 55,000 reports were filed. He called BiH courts biased and vowed to attend Mladić's funeral.

Events honoring Mladić were held in Republika Srpska. Only Vojin Pavlović of Bratunac has been convicted for glorifying Mladić, receiving three and a half years in 2022.