Serb returnees targeted in violent attack in Vogošća

Political representatives and rights advocates are raising alarms following a violent attack on two elderly Serb returnees in the Vogošća neighborhood of Sarajevo. During the night of August 25–26, a 92-year-old man was severely beaten and subsequently suffered a stroke. His 68-year-old son was also targeted during the incident, which involved gunfire.

Đorđe Radanović, Chairman of the Committee for the Protection of Serb Rights in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, criticized the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP) for classifying the incident as ‘attempted robbery’ rather than a hate crime. Radanović noted that the victims had previously received threats based on religious and national grounds.

SNSD lawmaker Mladen Ilić stated that such attacks contribute to a sense of insecurity among Serbs living in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He called on institutions at both the Federation and state levels to ensure perpetrators are punished and to guarantee a normal life for returnees. Similar reports of attacks and threats against Serb returnees have been noted in regions including Zenica, Zavidovići, Ozren, and Lukavac.