NICOLA Sturgeon has paid tribute to a "courageous" sexual violence survivor and campaigner during a memorial event to mark 26 years since the Srebrenica genocide.
The First Minister was one of many speakers from around the UK who paid tribute to those who had lost their lives in the tragedy in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where more than 8000 people were murdered.
The live-streamed event saw tributes from Sturgeon, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford and survivors and family members of those affected by the genocide.
The slaughter in Srebrenica went on for 11 days, and during that time thousands of women were raped repeatedly and subjected to horrifying sexual violence.
READ MORE: Srebrenica massacre still buries its slain 25 years on
During this year's memorial event on July 11, Sturgeon highlighted the plight of those women and girls and in particular one woman who had fought for justice for those who had been assaulted and raped.
In 1992 Bakira Hasečić, and her 18-year-old daughter, were repeatedly raped at knife point by 15 militia who had stormed into her home in Višegrad.
Despite the atrocities she was subjected to, Hasečić dedicated herself to gathering evidence which would help prosecute war criminals and get justice for the women who were violently attacked.
Sturgeon said: “Today we honour Bakira Hasečić, a victim of sexual violence committed during the Bosnian war. Despite everything she has gone through, which includes receiving death threats, Bakira has helped bring more than 80 war criminals to justice.
“When we talk about Srebrenica we talk about the 8,372 victims named at the Potočari cemetery. It is right and proper that we remember these lost lives on Srebrenica Memorial day. In doing so we must never forget that Srebrenica was the final culmination of a genocidal plan aimed at Bosnian muslims.
“Among the victims of this plan were the 20,000 to 50,000 women and girls across Bosnia who were subjected to sexual violence.”
Hasečić formed The Association of Women Victims of War in 2003, with the sole aim of gathering evidence on the men who raped tens of thousands of women during the conflict.
Sturgeon continued: “In the years since Bakira has fought for justice for these women and she has campaigned to ensure that their voices are heard.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon describes Srebrenica visit as ‘deeply moving’
“In 2017 I attended the national memorial event where Bakira spoke about the importance of breaking the silence around sexual violence in the Bosnian war. I was so very struck, as so many people have been, by the sheer power and courage of her testimony.
“In 2018, Glasgow Caledonian University bestowed upon Bakira an honorary degree in recognition of her outstanding contribution to human rights, injustice, for women in Bosnia and Herzegovina, guided by a desire for justice rather than for revenge.
“Bakira’s strength and courage is such an inspiration to all of us and so it is absolutely right that we honour her this evening, and thank her from the bottom of our hearts for everything she has done.”
Foreign Secretary Raab said: “Today we mark 26 years since the Srebrenica genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was one of the very worst atrocities to take place on European soil since the end of the second world war.
“In a planned operation more than 8,000 people were murdered - mostly muslim men and boys. Over 20,000 women and children were forcibly expelled from their homes, unimaginable, today we remember them.
“We come together to mourn the victims of those terrible events and we stand with the families in their fight for justice.”
READ MORE: We must not allow likes of Srebrenica to happen ever again
Dr Waqar Azmi OBE, Chair of Remembering Srebrenica, praised that the memorial event was supported “crossparty and crossgovernment” by both Westminster and the devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
He said: “Today we have gathered online again in these difficult times, although we are not able to be together physically, we are together in spirit.”
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