The temporary prison leave granted to Elfeta Veseli, who is serving a final 13-year prison sentence for the 1992 murder of twelve-year-old Slobodan Stojanović near Zvornik, represents a failure of the justice system and undermines any discussion of reconciliation and coexistence in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republika Srpska Interior Minister Željko Budimir said today.
Civil society organizations from Republika Srpska have called for accountability from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and state-level institutions that allowed Veseli to spend time outside prison. In a response to RTRS, the Tuzla Penitentiary stated that Veseli had not caused any disciplinary problems while serving her sentence and had therefore become eligible for temporary leave in accordance with the law.
According to the prison administration, Veseli is treated as an inmate with good conduct and no previous criminal record, which qualified her for prison privileges. Their response did not mention any expression of remorse or empathy toward the victim. None of the institutions involved—including the Ilidža Police Department, the local Social Welfare Center, the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, or the Border Police—objected to her temporary release.
“The first weekend leave was granted from September 7 to September 8, 2024, at her registered place of residence. Upon returning from temporary leave, she never reported any difficulties, nor did the Ilidža Police Department report any incidents,” the Tuzla Penitentiary stated.
The prison authorities did not disclose how many times Veseli had been released on temporary leave since September 2024. However, reports that she had been seen walking freely through Sarajevo have sparked strong public criticism in Republika Srpska, where many consider not only her sentence but also the prison privileges to be inadequate.
“I am appalled by the fact that those responsible for administering justice allowed the killer of a child to enjoy any kind of privilege. Veseli has done nothing to deserve such treatment, especially considering the brutality of the crime for which she is already serving an unjustifiably lenient sentence,” said Željka Cvijanović, the Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Interior Minister Željko Budimir argued that allowing individuals convicted of such crimes to leave prison undermines any possibility of reconciliation.
“When people responsible for crimes like this are allowed to walk free, regardless of the explanation offered, it destroys every possibility of talking about normal life or reconciliation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We are talking about a woman convicted of murdering a child. That is why we will have to seriously consider changes to the law in the future,” Budimir said.
Organizations representing veterans and families affected by the 1992–1995 war have demanded that those responsible for approving Veseli’s prison privileges be held accountable. They also called on the authorities of Republika Srpska to pursue legal action before courts in Republika Srpska, arguing that judicial institutions in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and at the state level have failed Serbian victims.
“It is evident that all the evidence and facts in Elfeta Veseli’s case were not properly considered and that the crime was not adequately punished. In accordance with the Constitution and the law, this case should be prosecuted before the courts of Republika Srpska in order to correct a profound injustice,” said Slobodan Župljanin, president of the Association of Patriots of Republika Srpska.
“Elfeta Veseli is dangerous to society and should remain behind bars, not be walking freely through cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Court has already rewarded her brutality by imposing such a light sentence. We demand an urgent response from the authorities of Republika Srpska regarding their relations with the Court and Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Branimir Kojić, president of the Assembly of the Republika Srpska Organization of Families of Captured and Fallen Soldiers and Missing Civilians.
The sister of Slobodan Stojanović said she did not have the strength to comment on the prison privileges granted to the person convicted of murdering her brother.
Elfeta Veseli was sentenced to 13 years in prison, with her sentence scheduled to expire in 2029.
Source: RTRS
