State Court Expresses Concern Over Pressure on Judiciary

“Bosnian state court judges are currently working under very difficult conditions, because the intensity of pressure coming from various directions is becoming unbearable,” a state court announcement reads.

The court says statements by politicians, academics, as well as pressure being exercised by defense teams in response to arrests conducted over the past few days, “are causing great damage to the judiciary, society and state.”

“In light of recent events, the citizens of our country do not have a single reason to be upset, because judicial institutions are just doing the work that falls within their scope of responsibility. Therefore, we are asking people from various segments of society, who groundlessly consider themselves competent to comment on the work of the state judiciary, to sustain from interfering with our work,” the Bosnian state court says.

Fahrudin Radoncic, the president of the Union for a Better Future of Bosnia and Herzegovina, was arrested on Monday on suspicion of interfering with the work of judiciary. The arrest has caused great interest among the general public. Radoncic was arrested as per a warrant issued by the state prosecution, which also released a statement, saying “the action is in accordance with legal powers.”

“The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina would like to remind the public that all citizens are equal in the eyes of the law, that the proceedings are conducted in accordance with the law, that there are no untouchables and that any form of political or media pressure cannot and will not influence these proceedings,” the statement reads.

The Bosnian state court also expressed concern about what it described as unacceptable pressure in the case of Naser Oric, whose trial for war crimes committed in the Srebrenica and Bratunac area began on Tuesday.

“It is extremely difficult to work under such conditions, where attempts to influence the court are made in such an open manner. We appeal to the Association of Mothers of Srebrenica, who request a verdict of release, as well as to those demanding a verdict of conviction, to stick to the scope of the work of their associations. This also refers to the Green Berets and Disabled War Veterans associations, as well as the Association of Detainees of the Birac Region, which has requested an expansion of the indictment,” the state court’s announcement reads.