Genocide

Former Bosnian Serb political leader Radovan Karadzic began his closing arguments at his war crimes trial in The Hague by insisting he was not guilty of masterminding atrocities including genocide.

The UN-backed tribunal for Rwanda on Monday upheld the life sentences for two former heads of the ex-ruling party for genocide crimes committed in 1994.

The Sense news agency, which covers war crimes trials, opened the new archive of case documents, witness testimonies and forensic evidence at the Srebrenica genocide memorial centre in Potocari.

The Bosnian prosecution filed an indictment against former Bosnian Serb police officers Miodrag Josipovic and Branimir Tesic for assisting the genocide in Srebrenica in July 1995.

Armenia on Wednesday praised Greece for approving a law banning the denial of genocide as Yerevan calls for the massacre of Armenians during World War I in present-day Turkey to be internationally recognised as genocide.

The last three articles of the anti-racism bill were passed through Parliament on Tuesday in a roll call vote.

Articles 1, 2 and 3 received clear majorities from the 100 MPs allowed to vote as Parliament is still in its summer session. The three articles were voted on separately after requests by SYRIZA and Golden Dawn last week.

The process of passing the anti-racism bill, which punishes hate crimes, is due to be completed on Tuesday.

The State Investigation and Protection Agency arrested former Serb policemen Miodrag Josipovic and Branimir Tesic on suspicion that they assisted the commission of genocide in July 1995.

The Holy Synod of the Church of Greece on Tuesday issued a statement expressing support for a controversial anti-racism bill, foreseeing stiffer penalties for individuals and political parties which engage in racism or incite racist violence, which is to be debated in Parliament next week.

Six Bosnian Serbs convicted of the genocide of Bosniaks from Srebrenica in 1995 are appealing against their 20-year prison sentences, arguing that they are too harsh.