Conference Report Criminalising Genocide Denial: Law, Accountability and Prevention

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This report presents the outcomes of the conference "Criminalising Genocide Denial: Law, Accountability and Prevention", conducted in Sarajevo from 24-25 September 2025 by the Nuremberg Academy and the Office of the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina (OHR), in partnership with TRIAL International and the German Foundation for International Legal Cooperation (IRZ). The conference examined the legal, societal and moral dimensions of genocide denial as Bosnia and Herzegovina marked and reflected on three decades since the perpetration of the Srebrenica genocide.

Over three thematic panels and two keynote addresses, speakers explored strategies for prosecuting genocide denial and the glorification of war criminals, the significance of balancing rights protecting freedom of expression and ensuring protection from hate speech, and the impact of legal inaction for fostering a culture of impunity. Keynotes by Prof. Pablo de Greiff (NYU, founding UN Special Rapporteur on truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence) and Prof. Dr. Christoph Safferling (Director, Nuremberg Academy) anchored the discussions.

The report co-authored by Senior Officer Kiran Mohandas Menon and Dr Johanna Paul of the OHR summarises these contributions, featuring perspectives from prosecutors, judges and memorial institutions including the Kigali Genocide Memorial and the Srebrenica-Potočari Memorial Center and serves as a resource for policymakers, scholars and practitioners working on accountability and prevention.