High Representative Christian Schmidt said in Sarajevo today that the implementation of laws against the denial of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity is very important because it protects the legacy of victims and the dignity of survivors.
At an international conference on genocide denial, remedies, accountability and the prevention of genocide denial, which brought together judges, prosecutors, academics and other legal experts in Sarajevo, Schmidt said that genocide denial is considered “an attempt to erase the memory of the victims of the crime and to avoid responsibility”.
“That is why the implementation of the law and holding perpetrators accountable is so important,” Schmidt stressed.
He added that for Germany this is a very intensive part of criminal legislation and that many cases and experiences come from that country.
Schmidt said that punishing acts of denial of crimes is not intended to silence public opinion, but rather to confront the disrespect for judicially established truth and the falsification that deepens divisions, creates threats to peace and dishonors the memory of victims.
He said that it is our common obligation to fight against those who promote violence, hatred and who act against other people in any way or glorify war criminals.
The Director of the International Academy of the Nuremberg Principles, Professor Christoph Saferling, emphasized that the fight against genocide denial is a task for the entire society, and that the judiciary and legislation are an important part of it.
He emphasized that the criminalization of genocide denial is an important part of the European culture that has developed since the end of World War II.
“It takes a certain amount of time for a society to gain trust and achieve what is necessary in criminal legislation to create the effects of deterrence and prevention of such crimes,” said Saferling.
He concluded that for this to happen, it is necessary to constantly work and prosecute cases of genocide denial, and that reporting such cases is particularly important.
The conference was organized by the International Academy of the Nuremberg Principles and the Office of the High Representative, in cooperation with the German Foundation for International Legal Cooperation (IRZ) and the organization TRIAL International in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Fena writes.
