A U.S.-sanctioned official criminally indicted for genocide denial is set to receive a "Leadership and Democracy Award" at Judson University on April 30. Jedna BiH, a coalition of Bosnian-American organizations and diaspora advocates, is calling on Judson University to cancel the ceremony and rescind the award.

The honoree, Milorad Dodik,  was sanctioned in 2022,  by the U.S. Treasury, criminally indicted in Bosnia for denying the Srebrenica genocide, removed from office by Bosnian election authorities in 2025, and publicly aligned with Vladimir Putin. He has repeatedly called the Srebrenica genocide, the systematic execution of more than 8,000 Bosniak men and boys recognized as genocide by both the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the International Court of Justice, a "fabricated myth."

THE CASE AGAINST THE AWARD

The opposition to Milorad Dodik is grounded in documented, adjudicated facts, including actions condemned by U.S. and international institutions:

• U.S. Government Sanctions: Individuals are targeted for undermining long-standing peace agreements and threatening stability.

  • Dodik was sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for corruption and actively working to destabilize the Western Balkans in 2022. These Sanctions were removed by the current administration in 2025.

  • In March of 2026 a bipartisan group urged for the re-sanctioning of Milorad Dodik, the lawmakers pointed to numerous instances of Dodik advocating for the secession of Republika Srpska from Bosnia and Herzegovina, undermining the Dayton Accords and in violation of provisions included in the2026 National Defense Authorization Act(NDAA).

• Genocide Denial and Criminal Indictment: Dodik repeatedly calls the Srebrenica genocide—the systematic execution of over 8,000 Bosniak men and boys—a "fabricated myth".

  • He faces criminal charges in Bosnia's Prosecutor’s Office for violating the Law on Prohibition of Genocide Denial.

  • The mass violence in Srebrenica was ruled a genocide by both the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the International Court of Justice.

• Glorification of War Criminals: Dodik has called convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic, a commander responsible for Srebrenica, a "legend".

  • He personally inaugurated a student dormitory named after Radovan Karadzic, who was convicted of genocide and crimes against humanity.

• Active Secessionism and Alignment with Putin: Dodik’s calls for the secession of Republika Srpska are seen as a clear threat to the stability and security of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

  • He is actively campaigning to dismantle key Bosnian state institutions (including the shared armed forces and judiciary).

  • He publicly aligned himself with Vladimir Putin and has described Bosniaks as "second-rate people".

WHO SUPPORTS THE EVENT

• Mark Vargas, as a founding member of the event, is also notably known for brokering the early release and pardoning of former Governor Rod Blagojevic, by the current administration.

• Rod Blagojevic, after his release from prison, was then employed by the entity of Republika Srpska, as a lobbyist, to push for the illegal secession of the entity from Bosnia and Herzegovina. A threat of secession is a threat of genocide.

WHY THIS MATTERS IN ILLINOIS

The event is taking place at an Illinois educational institution. Illinois is home to one of the largest Bosnian diaspora communities in the U.S., including Srebrenica survivors and their families. Honoring a genocide denier in this community is deeply offensive and risks undermining the values of truth, human dignity, and accountability.

OUR ASK

Jedna BiH is asking Judson University to:

1. Rescind the Leadership and Democracy Award to Milorad Dodik.

2. Cancel the April 30 event.

3. Publicly reaffirm its stated commitment to the values of democracy, human dignity, and historical truth.

TAKE ACTION ON APRIL 30