Vijesti
RE: Letter urging the Government of Canada to include Srebrenica Genocide Denial in its regulatory framework as part of the commitment to address online safety
26 August 2022
The Right Honorable Justin Trudeau, P.C., M.P. Prime Minister of Canada
Office of the Prime Minister
80, rue Wellington, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A2 PM@pm.gc.ca
RE: Letter urging the Government of Canada to include Srebrenica Genocide Denial in
its regulatory framework as part of the commitment to address online safety
Dear Prime Minister:
The Bosnian Community in Canada, as well as the competent State authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, are appealing to you regarding the decision by the Government of Canada to implement a “transparent and accountable regulatory framework for online safety in Canada.” In agreement with this important decision, the Bosnian-Canadian community kindly requests the Government to include in its regulatory policy framework monitoring and removal of Srebrenica genocide denial content – present and disseminated in online spaces – in the process of establishing a secure online environment that safeguards all Canadians.
According to a cutting-edge 2020 study by Moonshot – an organization focusing on preventing and countering violent extremism – the startling and alarming growth of far-right extremist movements in Canada includes harmful elements of anti-Bosniak sentiment. The study highlights that in the top ten list of most listened to songs among Canadian far-right extremist circles was Željko Grmuša, a Serbian ultra-nationalist who sings the infamous song “Karadži?, Lead Your Serbs,” an anti-Bosniak propaganda track that the Christchurch terrorist also played on his way to commit the monstrous massacre in New Zealand. In 2022, the group has observed and warned about an uptick in such content in the aftermath of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, as global lockdowns resulted in many people spending more time online.
In July 1995, more than 8,372 Bosniaks in Srebrenica were systematically executed by the Army and Police Forces of Republika Srpska. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) ruled the Srebrenica massacre a genocide and its perpetrators were subsequently found guilty of committing war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.
It is noteworthy that Motion M-416, passed in the House of Commons on October 19, 2010, officially recognized July 11 as an annual Srebrenica Remembrance Day in Canada.
Realizing the importance of forbidding genocide denial by law, in 2018, the Institute for the Research of Genocide Canada submitted a petition (e-1837) to the Government of Canada to call upon the Government to recognize the act of denial of the Srebrenica genocide as cruel, inhumane and illegal, and to enact legislation that prohibits the denial of the Srebrenica genocide. According to the prominent academic and activist in this field, Gregory H. Stanton, genocide is a process that develops in ten stages, one of which is genocide denial. Therefore, the Institute for the Research of Genocide Canada initiated this campaign to stand against those insulting the memory of the victims, inflicting pain and suffering on the survivors of the genocide while simultaneously encouraging previous and future perpetrators. Srebrenica genocide denial is currently present on social media platforms worldwide, including those operating in Canada and it not only contributes to further radicalization of far-right extremists but it could also inspire future violent extremist attacks. For this reason, it is vital to prevent such content from being uploaded and disseminated on social media platforms.
In closing, please note that the Institute for the Research of Genocide Canada is gladly willing to discuss further the relevant approaches to banning Srebrenica genocide denial and glorification content from Canada’s online spaces. Our experts would be pleased to discuss the nature of the potential content identified as needing removal from the online platforms operating and active in Canada that ought to be included in the Government’s hash database.
Sincerely,
Director
Dr. Emir Rami?
The Institute for the Research of Genocide Canada
C.c:
The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs
The Honourable Marco E. L. Mendicino, Minister of Public Safety
The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
francois-philippe.champagne@parl.gc.ca
The Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of Emergency Preparedness
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