The pedophile registry in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) will come into effect this week. It will include individuals who have been definitively convicted of crimes against children and minors, such as rape, indecent acts, and exploitation. These records will be confidential and used for official purposes but will be accessible to institutions upon request during employment processes.
The registry has gained attention following the confirmation by the Municipal Court that actor Moamer Kasumovic paid 36.500 BAM last year, effectively buying off his one-year prison sentence.
Kasumovic was convicted of the criminal offense of indecent behavior toward a minor, a case that largely escaped public attention. However, now there are condemnations and a halt to collaborations. Kasumovic has yet to publicly comment.
“Last year, we worked with him on a pilot series. As soon as we found out about this, we stopped production of that series. If conditions allow, we will likely reshoot with a different actor. I really have nothing more to add,” said screenwriter Fedja Isovic.
“How many young lives have been destroyed over all these years of hiding pedophiles? The judge who allowed a pedophile to walk and work freely consciously put our children at risk. For 36.000 BAM, he continued to destroy children’s lives,” wrote director Jasmila Zbanic on social media.
Duska Jurisic, the Deputy Minister for Human Rights and Refugees, also responded to the case. In a country where justice can be bought for the amount of a non-purpose cash loan, it’s hard not to ask: where is the bottom? The crime against a child was paid off, Jurisic wrote in her statement. Here’s part of her comment:
“As a mother and a longtime advocate for human rights, I clearly and unequivocally state that crimes against children are not minor offenses that can be ‘resolved’ with money. The public’s justified outrage, especially when judicial errors that lead to the destruction of lives are repeatedly made, is evident. Now, as victims are coming forward, it’s clear once again that trust in the judiciary is at an all-time low. There is no doubt that inherited legal solutions are flawed, the public demands harsher measures, but we must also acknowledge our own shortcomings, the sluggishness in implementing the legal provisions for the pedophile registry, which must be public.”, Federalna writes.
Photo: Raport
E.Dz.
