Bosnian soldier praises Ratko Mladic

Bosnia and Herzegovina's Armed Forces reproved a soldier who said former Bosnian Serb military leader and war crimes indictee Ratko Mladic “fought against terrorism”.

Bosnia's Defence Ministry said Tuesday that soldier Djordje Tojciq is “selected” following disciplinary procedures for praising Ratko Mladic in a post at the Instagram.

The day the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague handed down its ruling for Mladic in November last year, Tojciciq posted a photo of the Bosnian Serb Army's former military commander's hat from the war on his website to Instagram, accompanying the script “Europe knows, but will not accept it, the general fought against terrorism”.

Toyciq also added the message: “Thank you for everything! ! ”

The disciplinary procedures were launched after an article on Toojciqi's post for Mladic was published by BIRN Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The procedure against soldier Djordje Tojcic was completed with the provision of a disciplinary measure “correctional” against the author of a violation of military discipline,” said the defence ministry.

The ministry also said it was trying to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Improved measures aimed at preventing similar incidents have been taken among other things by giving an additional warning and detailed instructions on how members of Bosnia and Herzegovina's Armed Forces should be brought to social networks in line with existing regulations and documents referring to this area,” said the ministry.

Tojciq is not the only member of the Bosnian Armed Forces who has praised defendants or war crimes convicts.

According to the Defence Ministry, seven other cases of members of the armed forces have been uncovered, praising people convicted by The Hague tribunal on social networks.

“After the disciplinary procedures against them, adequate measures have been taken against these persons, depending on the importance of violations committed, in line with the ministry of Defence and Armed Forces regulations of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said the ministry.

The Hague tribunal found Ratko Mladic guilty of genocide and other wartime crimes. He's appealing the verdict.