SELAK: THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE AND COURT OF BiH SHOULD SAY WHETHER IMPOSED LAW APPLIES EQUALLY TO EVERYONE

BANJA LUKA, JUNE 29 /SRNA/ - The Republika Srpska Minister of Justice Goran Selak today called on the Prosecutor's Office and the Court of BiH to tell the public whether the provisions of the controversial Criminal Code of BiH, imposed by the Office of the High Representative, are being applied equally to all citizens.

Selak said this following the final conviction of Miodrag Malić for the criminal offense of inciting national, racial and religious hatred, discord and intolerance, the Republika Srpska Ministry of Justice said in a statement.

"I am publicly calling on the Prosecutor's Office and the Court of BiH to tell the citizens of Republika Srpska and the whole of BiH whether this imposed law is being applied equally to everyone, or whether double standards exist. Is the problem that the Prosecutor's Office of BiH is unable to prepare well-founded indictments, or is the problem that the Court of BiH handles the same or similar cases differently? Citizens have the right to an answer," Selak said.

The Republika Srpska Minister of Justice stressed that equality before the law is the cornerstone of every legal system.

"If, for the same or comparable conduct, some individuals are convicted while indictments against others are dismissed or never confirmed, then the Prosecutor's Office and the Court of BiH have a duty to explain to the public why that is the case. Confidence in the judiciary can exist only if the law applies equally to everyone," Selak stressed.

Selak called on all Serb members of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH to launch an initiative to repeal the provision of the Criminal Code of BiH imposed by the Office of the High Representative concerning the glorification of persons convicted of war crimes, if that provision cannot be applied equally to all citizens.

"The law must be the same for everyone, or it should not exist at all. This controversial law was never adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH. Selective justice is not justice; it is a means of seriously undermining public confidence in the judicial system of BiH and of creating even deeper divisions among the peoples," Selak said.

Selak also called on judicial office holders to contribute to preserving stability through their work.

"I call on everyone working in the judiciary to act responsibly and to perform their duties strictly in accordance with the law and by applying the same standards to everyone. Only in this way can we preserve peace, stability and public confidence in our institutions. The current approach is only raising tensions among all the peoples," Selak concluded.