High Representative Christian Schmidt commented on recently released video footage of Dario Kordic, a convicted war criminal, containing hideous messages related to the crimes for which he was sentenced by the ICTY, and showing no signs of remorse.
“The fact that a convicted person has served the sentence for committing a war crime does not mean that the crime has disappeared. This person remains a war criminal. Remorse, regret, and forgiveness is what they should seek. These comments by Kordic could be understood as recognition and glorification of his deeds.
The glorification of war crimes is punishable by law.
I encourage the Prosecutor’s Office to open an investigation of this matter, and there has to be a check of possible consequences on ICTY’s verdict in Kordic’s case“, said the High Representative.
He again stressed the need and his support for registering ICTY and MICT judgements in the criminal records of BiH: “BiH citizens sentenced by international tribunals should not be able to obtain clean certificates from domestic criminal records. A society that strives to build a better future without war crimes and genocide must accept the adjudicated facts from its history.”
The High Representative is strictly committed to ensure this.