U.S. Congressmen call for sanctions over genocide denial

U.S. Congressmen Greg Murphy and Marc Veasey, members of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, have called on the United States administration to reintroduce or implement targeted sanctions against officials who deny the Srebrenica genocide and glorify convicted war criminals.

During an official visit to the Srebrenica-Potočari Memorial Center in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the lawmakers emphasized that the memory of Srebrenica requires a defense of the truth. They specifically noted that Ratko Mladić died as a convicted war criminal responsible for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, stating that his funeral should not be an occasion for glorification.

The Congressmen warned that denying genocide and glorifying convicted criminals deepens ethnic divisions, intimidates survivors, and threatens the stability and democratic future of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the wider region. They urged the U.S. administration to utilize existing mechanisms, including the Western Balkans Democracy and Prosperity Act, to sanction individuals whose actions undermine the Dayton Peace Agreement or jeopardize regional peace and stability.