The Vice President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Igor Stojanović, announced on May 5 that he had filed a criminal complaint with the Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina against the President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, on suspicion of committing the criminal offense of inciting national, racial and religious hatred.
Stojanović stated in a Facebook post that Dodik made statements in public appearances that insulted the dignity of Bosniaks and "violated the rights to religion, culture and the free enjoyment of all fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the constitution and international acts."
Stojanović stated that he "has an institutional and moral obligation to react when the foundations of the state - the equality, security and dignity of its citizens - are threatened."
"Silence in the face of hate speech is not an option. BiH is a state of all its peoples and citizens. Its foundations are in the fight against fascism, in freedom and equality. Patriotism means defending the dignity of every human being and protecting the values on which this country is based," he stressed.
Speaking to reporters on April 29, after a meeting of the ruling coalition in that entity, Dodik presented the thesis that the solution for BiH is that Bosniaks "should return to the religion of their ancestors, so Bosnia and Herzegovina will be majority Serb."
Denying the identity of Bosniaks, he insulted them by calling them "converts".
Dodik's office previously did not respond to Radio Free Europe's inquiry about why the RS president makes offensive statements towards the Bosniak people and whether he believes they constitute hate speech.
Provisions of the Criminal Code of BiH prohibit "public incitement and incitement of national, racial or religious hatred", and provide for a prison sentence.
Dodik is wanted by the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina because he refuses to respond to questioning for "attacking the constitutional order of the country."
The arrest warrant also includes the President of the RS Assembly Nenad Stevandić and the entity's Prime Minister Radovan Višković, who are also suspected of the crime.
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