Klapuh family war crime case stalls as Bosnia refuses to re‑prosecute convicted perpetrators

In July 2026 the 34th anniversary of the 1992 killing of Hasan Klapuh, his wife Ferida and daughter Sena in Montenegro was marked by renewed calls for justice. The family was murdered by members of the VRS "Dragan Nikolić" unit, who later fled to Bosnia‑Herzegovina. Montenegro sentenced four perpetrators in absentia to 20 years, but only one, Vidoje Golubić, served time.

Bosnian prosecutors have now said they will not retry Radomir Kovač and Zoran Vuković, who were convicted in Montenegro but never served their sentences. Legal experts warn this reliance on the principle of "ne bis in idem" undermines international law and allows impunity for the worst war crimes. The Human Rights Action group says Bosnia could re‑prosecute under the European Convention on Transfer of Criminal Proceedings.

Recent exhumations near Nikšić identified the remains of Ferida and Sena through DNA testing, while Hasan’s remains remain missing. The case highlights ongoing challenges in enforcing war‑crime sentences across the former Yugoslav states.