The Interreligious Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina strongly condemns the threats made to the clergy of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Tuzla, which recently arrived from the Tuzla Correctional Institution.
“We are particularly concerned by the fact that these threats were made by a person who has already been convicted of desecrating an Orthodox church in Tuzla. Such repeated acts and public threats have a widespread effect and threaten the security and dignity of all religious communities in our country, undermining interreligious trust and common peace,” the Interreligious Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina said in a statement.
The Interreligious Council once again appeals to the competent authorities to react urgently and decisively, to prevent the repetition of such acts and to punish most severely any behavior that incites hatred, violence and intolerance.
“We express solidarity with the Serbian Orthodox Church and all believers affected by these threats, and we call on all citizens of our country to remain committed to peace, dialogue and mutual respect,” the statement reads.
As a reminder, the priest of the Cathedral Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Tuzla reported to the police that a letter was delivered to the church’s address from the Penitentiary Institution containing certain threats.
