US senators urge sanctions on Republika Srpska officials
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has called on the administration of President Donald Trump to reinstate sanctions against officials of Republika Srpska that were lifted in October 2025.
The appeal comes after authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina's Republika Srpska entity questioned current and former employees of the Srebrenica Memorial Center who participated in preparing a report on genocide denial, CE Report quotes Kosova Press.
In a statement issued on August 6, the senators said they were "deeply concerned" after 26 current and former employees and associates were questioned last week by police in Zvornik.
"The scale and timing of these actions are troubling, particularly because the work of the Memorial Center is essential to preserving the truth, honoring the victims, and protecting human rights. We call on the relevant authorities to respect the rule of law, the independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina's institutions, and ensure that the Memorial Center can carry out its essential mission without intimidation," the statement said.
The statement was signed by senators serving on several Senate committees, including the Foreign Relations Committee, the Judiciary Committee, the Europe Subcommittee, the Security and Defense Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly, as well as members of the U.S. Helsinki Commission.
The senators also urged the U.S. administration to enforce sanctions provided for under the National Defense Authorization Act, emphasizing that both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate have clearly recognized that "the Srebrenica massacre was genocide."
"More than 30 years later, we have a responsibility to remember the victims, stand with their families, and ensure that this tragic history is never denied or erased. Rewriting history for political gain deepens divisions, fuels ethnic tensions, and threatens peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina," the senators said.
They added, "We call on the administration to implement the mandatory sanctions included in the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2026 to ensure that individuals are held accountable for destabilizing behavior and attacks on democratic institutions."
Earlier, the Bijeljina District Public Prosecutor's Office confirmed that it had opened a case to verify information and complaints concerning the activities of the Srebrenica Memorial Center during 2022.
According to the prosecutor's office, the case is currently in the verification stage based on suspicions of tax and contribution evasion, while other institutions are gathering documents and additional evidence.
The Republika Srpska Prosecutor's Office said no formal investigation has yet been launched and that those questioned are currently being interviewed as witnesses. A prosecutor will decide on any further action after all necessary documentation and evidence have been collected.
Memorial Center Director Emir Suljagić has repeatedly warned of pressure from Republika Srpska institutions over the center's work, particularly its efforts to document the Srebrenica genocide and genocide denial.
Authorities in Republika Srpska, including senior political officials, have for years rejected the rulings of both international and domestic courts that determined the Srebrenica massacre constituted genocide.
The Srebrenica Memorial Center, opened in 2003 at the former United Nations base, is a state institution dedicated to preserving the memory of more than 8,000 Bosniaks killed during the July 1995 genocide.
Photo: Wikipedia
