July 12 marks the 34th anniversary of one of the most serious and monstrous crimes committed against Roma civilians during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

On the Orthodox holiday of St. Peter’s Day in 1992, members of a paramilitary formation known as “Sima’s Chetniks” carried out a massacre of the inhabitants of the Roma settlement of Skočić near Kozluk, near Zvornik.

After looting, brutal beatings, torture, rape and humiliation, they captured members of Roma families and then took them to the hamlet of Hamzići near Malešić, where they were shot and thrown into a pit.

28 Roma civilians were killed in the crime, including nine children and one pregnant woman. This massacre is considered the largest single war crime against Roma committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

• Na Petrovdan prije 34 godine: Zločin nad Romima u Skočiću ne smije biti zaboravljen. In: Vijesti. 12.07.2026. https://www.vijesti.ba/clanak/764775/na-petrovdan-prije-34-godine-zlocin-nad-romima-u-skocicu-ne-smije-biti-zaboravljen