Bosnian Serb Honours for War Criminals Challenged

The Tuzla-based Foundation for Truth, Justice, Reconciliation has filed a criminal complaint against Nedeljko Cubrilovic, president of the National Assembly in Bosnia's Serb-dominated entity Republika Srpska, and members of the organising committee that recently gave awards to convicted war criminals including Radovan Karadzic.

"We're waiting to see what concrete steps will be taken by the prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, because this shameful act by the government of Republika Srpska mocks victims," the president of the Foundation, Sinan Alic, told BIRN on Tuesday.

The Republika Srpska National Assembly provoked strong reactions in October after choosing to honour Radovan Karadzic, who was convicted of genocide and other wartime crimes by the Hague Tribunal this year, as well as Momcilo Krajisnik and Biljana Plavsic - both also convicted war criminals.

Krajisnik and Plavsic have served their sentences but Karadzic is now appealing against his conviction.

The awards, called Charters of the RS National Assembly, were made to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Bosnian Serb entity's parliament.

Alic said the awards had caused distress to victims and the relatives of victims who had suffered rape, torture and murder.

"One can only imagine how [the victims] feel… if the government of the entity of which they are now citizens reward individuals who the international tribunal convicted of committing war crimes, including the crime of genocide," said Alic.

The complaint, filed on Monday, accuses Cubrilovic and the organising committee for the 25th anniversary celebrations of provoking racial, religious and national hatred and intolerance.

It says that the awards were given for involvement in the...