Serbia marks Srebrenica genocide anniversary amid violence and denial

Belgrade is set to mark the 31st anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide with a silent candlelight vigil organized by the Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) Serbia. The event aims to honor the victims of the 1995 genocide and show solidarity with their families, with diplomats and citizens expected to attend.

The commemoration occurs after a day marked by violence and public displays glorifying convicted war criminals. Serbian writer Vladimir Arsenijevic was assaulted by a group of young men who threatened him and vandalized a remembrance site. Organizers canceled their event due to safety concerns.

Posters glorifying Ratko Mladic, a former Bosnian Serb military commander convicted of genocide, appeared in Novi Sad, organized by the Serbian Radical Party. These posters, featuring Mladic's military cap and a message praising his "heroic role," were reportedly torn down by residents. Another poster in Belgrade promoted a narrative equating different wartime crimes by referencing Naser Oric, a former Bosnian army commander acquitted of war crimes charges.

Sofija Todorovic of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights stated that genocide denial is increasingly widespread in Serbia, citing the organization's "State of Denial" report. She noted that the debate surrounding the UN General Assembly resolution establishing July 11 as the International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica has become a political campaign fueling denial and nationalist rhetoric. Todorovic rejected claims that acknowledging the genocide implies collective guilt for the Serbian people.

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The resolution was dedicated to the victims. It also condemns the glorification of convicted war criminals regardless of their ethnicity.