Bosnia and Herzegovina was shaken by two serious cases of murder in two days. One in Sarajevo, where a 19-year-old young man was killed on the street, which is why the Sarajevo Canton Prosecutor’s Office proposed to the court today that the suspect Adem Šuman, as well as Mersim Saljević and Elmedin Gradišić, be detained for one month. The second murder, which also shocked the public, took place in Doboj. The question then rightly arises – how safe are we as citizens and how well are the institutions doing their job. For both cases, security experts say that it was impossible to predict them, but now it is up to the judiciary whether there will be fair punishments.
Armed violence, experts warn, certainly worries citizens, but institutions should be additionally concerned, especially after the latest murder of a 19-year-old young man over what is said to be a traffic conflict, even though three people have been arrested for this crime.
Armin Kralić, professor at the Faculty of Criminology of UNSA
“We should leave the possibility now in this case for the investigative bodies, that is, the police to collect evidence in the best possible way, use it for the verdict, and that is what we are interested in, whether the institutions will show that this will not be tolerated and that this kind of armed violence will have a just security response and policy.”
Mersiha Novalić, spokeswoman for the Ministry of Internal Affairs, KS
“A number of actions are being carried out by the acting prosecutor, which should lead to a complete elucidation of all the circumstances under which this criminal offense was committed and, of course, the evidence collected.”
Elvedin Okerić, Chairman of the Committee for Security of the KS Assembly
“Unfortunately, we cannot predict such events, as the executive power, what the police can do is certainly preventive activities and what the police do every day.
This murder with a firearm has once again opened a Pandora’s box called the illegal possession and carrying of weapons, of which currently in Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to some data, there are as many as 400 thousand, when it comes to light and small weapons. We do not have a single law, but we have more than enough others, as many as 12. However, the sanctions are very low, and sometimes only monetary.”
Hana Korać, professor of criminal law
“Unfortunately, most judges apply minimum sentences for illegal weapons, and we even have suspended sentences, which for these perpetrators is a felony, and sometimes it is even a misdemeanor, and this only leads to this crime being repeated.
After the murder in the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, citizens were additionally disturbed by a new case this morning. In Doboj, a different but no less shocking story about the murder of a man, the father of four children. His wife and a 19-year-old man were arrested.”
Slobodan Radinković, Head of PU Doboj
“Around 1:15 a.m. they entered the house where L.D punched the victim, then they tied him up with a baton and a rope and put him in the vehicle. They went to Preslica where the corpse was found, and on that occasion K.A hit three stabbing.
As for the situation in Sarajevo, the analysis that, for example, the low percentage of juvenile offenders and returnees in the commission of criminal offenses is not reassuring. Member of the Cantonal Assembly, Fatima Gavrankapetanović Smailbegović, urgently asked the Cantonal Government for a report on security and the convening of an extraordinary session of the Sarajevo Cantonal Assembly, which would be dedicated exclusively to security.”
