A conference titled “Criminal prosecution as an instrument of historical revisionism – threats to freedom of thought and speech through rulings of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina” opened in Banja Luka.
The gathering was attended by Savo Minić, Goran Selak, Radan Ostojić, as well as legal scholars, judges, and historians.
Minić said institutions of Republika Srpska would do everything possible to ensure criminal proceedings are no longer used as an instrument of attempted historical revisionism in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He also announced the possibility of a special session of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska to address the issue.
According to Minić, the matter is not an ordinary legislative process but a serious political issue involving elements of historical revisionism. He said democratic societies must balance freedom of speech with responsibility for public statements, adding that such balance appears to have been disrupted.
He also referred to legal changes imposed by a former High Representative, arguing that tools intended to sanction hate speech are being used beyond that purpose and entering the sphere of punishing expressed opinions.
Predrag Lozo said Republika Srpska should respond institutionally to what he described as threats to historical research on the Homeland War period, as well as to freedom of thought and expression.
Ljubinko Mitrović emphasized that the European Convention on Human Rights guarantees freedom of expression and the right to hold and share opinions.
Ostojić said imposed amendments to the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina have restricted freedom of speech and amount to rewriting history, while insisting the Serb people would continue speaking about historical facts.
Selak said rulings of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina indicate, in his view, political prosecution and attempts to distort the truth about Republika Srpska. He added that Republika Srpska is preparing an institutional response to what he called unconstitutional and unlawful conduct by state-level judicial institutions.
More than 200 representatives of veterans’ organizations also gathered outside the government headquarters in support of the conference.
Organizers from the Center for Socio-Political Research of Republika Srpska warned that attempts to make certain historical narratives legally or politically untouchable create a dangerous precedent and may undermine free scholarship, critical inquiry, and open debate.
Source: RTRS
