The Congress of North American Bosniaks, on behalf of 350,000 Bosniaks and Bosnia and Herzegovinan patriots in the USA and Canada, strongly condemns the illegal and a political decision of the War Crimes Council of the Belgrade District Court that Bosnia and Herzegovina citizen Ilija Jurisic, without evidence or facts, was convicted and sentenced to 12 years in prison.
This verdict can be seen as the continuation of the aggressive policy of Serbia towards the independent and sovereign state of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The current Serbian political leadership continues with the policies of Slobodan Milosevic as is evident with the case of Ilija Jurisic. Mr. Jurisic, a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina, was kidnapped by Serbian authorities and brought into a hostile foreign country for a biased trial.
The decision of the Belgrade District Court is a precedent in international case law as a man; a citizen of a neighboring state is denied the right to defend his own life, his family life and the sovereignty of his country from attack and is against the Geneva Convention.
We invite all Bosniaks, Mr. Jurisic’s compatriots, all Bosnia and Herzegovina patriots, the international public, and institutions for human rights to raise their voice against this scandalous verdict, not only for Ilija Jurisic, but also to protect one’s right to self-defense and human dignity.
Reconciliation with such a verdict is self-betrayal, equalizing victims and criminals, which is the main objective of this shameful verdict.
We invite all Bosnia and Herzegovina patriots wherever they are to boycott all products from Serbia, travel and cooperation with Serbia, until this ruling is changed, and Ilija Jurisic is returned freely to his family in Tuzla in whose defense he courageously stood.
On behalf of the Congress of North American Bosniaks
Semir Djulic
Spokesperson