Dodik Sentenced to One Year in Prison, Banned from Politics for Six Years

Milorad Dodik (Photo: HINA/FENA/Hazim Aljovic)

The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina found Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik guilty on Feb. 26, of failing to carry out the decisions of the high representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt, and sentenced him to a year in prison and a six-year ban from holding an office.

This was published by the media in Sarajevo, whose reporters covered the sentencing hearing in the court in Sarajevo. Prior to that, the acting director of the Official Gazette of RS, Milos Lukic, who was also on trial for the same offence, was acquitted of charges. This is a first-instance verdict and may be appealed against before the Appellate Chamber of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Court has announced that it ruled on the basis of law and evidence and not of external pressure, because such attempts would represent an attack on the Court’s independent position. They stated that the criminal proceedings against Dodik were conducted against an individual and not “against a function or institution.”

After the pronunciation of the verdict, Dodik addressed supporters in front of the National Assembly of RS. “There is no cause for concern. I have learned to deal with tougher things,” Dodik stated in his first response after hearing the verdict.