Bosnian leader warns UN over silence on Gaza genocide

Denis Becirovic, chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, warned the UN General Assembly on Tuesday that the international community has remained silent amid what he described as genocide in Gaza, drawing direct parallels to the atrocities his own country suffered during the 1990s Balkan wars. Addressing world leaders during the 81st session in New York, Becirovic stressed that nations cannot remain passive in the face of widespread injustice.

He emphasized that rising authoritarian populism, the war in Ukraine, suffering in Gaza, regional warfare in the Gulf and the catastrophic situation in Sudan have pushed humanity into a profound crisis defined by fear and instability. Becirovic recalled that between 1992 and 1995, Bosnia and Herzegovina endured widespread aggression, crimes against humanity and genocide against Bosniaks, noting that the highest international judicial bodies formally determined that genocide occurred on Bosnian soil.

Call for accountability

Turning to historical accountability, Becirovic stated that the late convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic — known as the "Butcher of Bosnia" — represents a perpetrator rather than a heroic figure. He added that institutional efforts to glorify such individuals remain unacceptable and contrary to civilization, urging global actors to implement concrete measures against those who systematically honor convicted war criminals at official levels.

Mladic received a life sentence from the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in 2017 for genocide and war crimes. He served his prison term in The Hague until his death in August this year.