Bosnian Serb Leader Milorad Dodik Sentenced to Prison

Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik has been sentenced to one year in prison and banned from holding public office for six years. The Sarajevo court announced that the sentence means Dodik will be unable to serve as the President of Republika Srpska for six years once the ruling becomes final.

The conviction comes after a year-long trial over his refusal to comply with decisions made by the international community’s High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt. Dodik had signed two laws that Schmidt had previously annulled, prompting legal action against him.

Dodik rejected the verdict, insisting on his innocence. The ruling is expected to add to tensions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where Dodik has long pushed for greater autonomy for Republika Srpska, the Serb-majority entity within the country.