Bosnia court sentences separatist Bosnian Serb President to 1 year in prison

A court in Bosnia on Wednesday sentenced pro-Russian Bosnian Serb President Milorad Dodik to one year in prison and banned him from engaging in politics for six years over his separatist actions.

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The landmark ruling by the court in Sarajevo came after a yearlong trial against Dodik on charges that he disobeyed the top international envoy overseeing peace in the Balkan country.

The leader and his lawyers were not in the court during the sentencing. Dodik has said that he would disobey any conviction and threatened “radical measures” in response, including eventual secession of the Serb-run entity in Bosnia called Republika Srpska from the rest of the country.

Dodik’s separatist threat stoked fears in Bosnia, where a 1992-95 war left 1,00,000 people killed and displaced millions. The US-sponsored Dayton Accords ended the war nearly three decades ago and created two regions, Republika Srpska and the Bosniak-Croat Federation.

The two regions were given wide autonomy, but kept some joint institutions, including the army, top judiciary and tax administration. Bosnia also has a rotating three-member presidency made up of Bosniak, Serb and Croat members.

Dodik was in the Bosnian Serb administrative capital Banja Luka, where thousands gathered Wednesday in his support.

“They say I am guilty, but now people here will say why I am not guilty,” Dodik told the crowd shortly after the verdict was announced. “There is no reason to worry. I have learned to deal with tougher situations. It is important that you are here.”

In neighbouring Serbia, pro-government media reported that populist President Aleksandar Vucic called an urgent session of the national security council there.