A Croatian investigative journalist has filed a complaint with prosecutors in Milan against Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, accusing him of involvement in the “Sarajevo safari” affair. This case involves allegations that snipers from Italy and other countries traveled to the Bosnian capital during the 1990s siege to kill civilians for sport.
Aleksandar Vučić has previously denied ever firing on Sarajevo but has not yet responded to these new claims.
Last week, Milan prosecutors opened an investigation to identify Italians allegedly involved, on charges of murder aggravated by cruelty and base motives.
Investigators claim that groups of “sniper tourists” took part in mass killings after paying large sums to soldiers from the army of Radovan Karadžić—the former Bosnian Serb leader convicted of genocide and crimes against humanity in 2016. These tourists were reportedly taken to the hills around Sarajevo to shoot civilians for entertainment.
Between 1992 and 1996, over 10,000 people in Sarajevo were killed by shelling and sniper fire during the longest siege in modern history, which began after Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence from Yugoslavia.
Snipers were especially feared during the siege, as they targeted people indiscriminately on the streets, including children.
The investigation began after a legal complaint from Ezio Gavazzeni, a Milan writer who collected evidence on the allegations, along with a report from former Sarajevo mayor Benjamina Karić.
Gavazzeni said he first read about the alleged sniper tourists in Italian newspapers in the 1990s but only began his own investigation after watching the 2022 documentary Sarajevo Safari by Slovenian director Miran Zupanič.
On Wednesday, journalist Domagoj Margetić filed his complaint against Vučić with the prosecutors handling the case. Margetić recently shared evidence on social media suggesting that Vučić, then a young volunteer, was present at a military post from which foreign citizens and Serbian ultranationalist units allegedly shot and killed civilians in what has been called a grim “tourist safari.”
Nicola Brigida, a lawyer assisting Gavazzeni, stated, “The evidence gathered after a long investigation is solid and could lead to a serious effort to identify those responsible. We also have the report from the former mayor of Sarajevo.”
Gavazzeni claimed that “many, many Italians” were involved, along with Germans, French, British, and others from Western countries who reportedly paid large sums to be taken to Sarajevo to shoot civilians.For information on how we use your data, please see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website, and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
He added, “There were no political or religious motivations. They were wealthy individuals who went there for entertainment and personal fulfillment. We’re referring to gun enthusiasts who might frequent shooting ranges or go on African safaris.”
Gavazzeni stated that the Italian suspects would gather in Trieste, a city in northern Italy, and travel to Belgrade. From there, Bosnian Serb soldiers would escort them to the hills surrounding Sarajevo.
He said, “There was a flow of war tourists who went there to shoot people. I describe it as an indifference to evil.”
In a full-screen image, a mother and her son are seen running for cover along ‘Sniper Alley’ on August 6, 1994. Photo credit: Rikard Larma/AP
Vučić has not yet responded to the allegations. However, rumors about his activities in Sarajevo have been circulating for years.
In a 2021 interview with a Bosnian TV station, the Serbian president firmly denied ever shooting at the besieged city. He characterized the accusations as political manipulation, stemming from the nationalist language of his youth and the delicate power dynamics in the region.
This report includes contributions from news agencies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about the Serbian Presidents legal case in Sarajevo regarding Sniper Tourism allegations designed to be clear and helpful for a range of readers
Basic Understanding Definitions
1 What is this legal case about in simple terms
The Serbian president is facing a lawsuit in Sarajevo for allegedly defaming the city He reportedly called Sarajevo a city of sniper tourism which many people found offensive and inaccurate
2 What does Sniper Tourism mean
Sniper Tourism is a term used to describe the act of visiting a place specifically to see locations where snipers were active during a war In this context its considered a highly insensitive and trivializing way to refer to the suffering endured during the Siege of Sarajevo
3 Who is suing the Serbian president and why
A group representing war victims specifically the Association of Mothers of Srebrenica and epa Enclaves and the Association of Women Victims of War filed the lawsuit They are suing because they believe his comments caused them mental suffering and insulted the memory of those who were killed
4 What was the Siege of Sarajevo
The Siege of Sarajevo was the longest blockade of a capital city in modern history lasting from 1992 to 1996 during the Bosnian War The city was surrounded and constantly shelled and shot at by sniper fire resulting in thousands of civilian deaths
The Legal Political Context
5 What are the specific accusations in the lawsuit
The lawsuit accuses the Serbian president of defamation and causing severe emotional distress to the plaintiffs by spreading false information and ridiculing their suffering
6 Is he being charged with a crime
This is a civil lawsuit not a criminal case This means the plaintiffs are seeking moral and financial compensation for the harm caused not a prison sentence
7 Can a foreign president be sued in another countrys court
Generally serving heads of state have immunity from prosecution in foreign courts for their official acts However this immunity is a complex legal area and can be challenged especially for statements that may not be considered a core official act
8 What is the presidents likely defense
He and his supporters will likely argue that his words were taken
