In Berlin Christoph Heubner, Executive Vice President of the International Auschwitz Committee, commented on the decision of the UN High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina to make the denial of the Srebrenica genocide punishable:

“For Auschwitz survivors, what happened in Srebrenica provided horrifying and agonizing evidence that, despite the horrific experiences of Auschwitz, hatred and genocide are still able to gain an upper hand in Europe. Consequently, it is all the more important for Holocaust survivors to see that this exemplary decision by the United Nations is making the denial of this genocide punishable and thus creating a basis for an honest and dignified approach for everyone involved to come to terms with their own history. What’s more, this decision is an important indicator of the significance and strength of the United Nations in its efforts to stand by human beings and peoples with their wounds and conflicts. This decision also sends out a very clear signal to Turkey, to finally recognize the genocide against the Armenian people as such and to work towards coming to terms with it.”