FACT SHEET FOR REPRESENTATIVES
URGENT APPEAL: Oppose Judson University's Award to U.S.-Sanctioned Genocide Denier Milorad Dodik
Honoree: Milorad Dodik, U.S.-Sanctioned Official
Award: Inaugural Leadership and Democracy Award
Event: Judson University World Leaders Forum,
Location: Elgin, IL
Date: April 30, 2026
THE CORE CONTRADICTION
Judson University, an Illinois-based Christian institution, is giving its inaugural Leadership and Democracy Award to Milorad Dodik, a figure condemned by the U.S. government for corruption, destabilizing activity, and genocide denial. This event, themed "Standing Up for Democracy," presents a profound and urgent moral contradiction. The honoree, Milorad Dodik, is a U.S.-sanctioned, criminally indicted, and genocide-denying authoritarian aligned with Vladimir Putin and Viktor Orban, whose record is documented and condemned by the U.S. government itself.
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 secession of the entity from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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 the 2026 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 Srebrenica massacre 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".
WHY THIS MATTERS
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.
CALL TO ACTION FOR REPRESENTATIVES
We respectfully ask that your office:
Issue a public statement of opposition to the removal of sanctions against Milorad Dodik, he should still be facing the consequences of sanctions that were highlighted in 2022;
A public statement of opposition to Judson University glorifying a genocide-denying war mongerer;
And re-affirm the importance of standing with genocide victims and upholding historical truth.
This statement is necessary to signal that providing a platform to a U.S.-sanctioned official and genocide denier is unacceptable, particularly at an American university.