Belgium Opens Investigation into ‘Human Safaris’ in Sarajevo

The Belgian Federal Prosecutor’s Office has opened a formal investigation into the alleged involvement of Belgian nationals in so-called “human safaris” or “sniper safaris” during the Siege of Sarajevo in the 1990s, De Morgen reported. The investigation marks the latest in a growing network of European inquiries into allegations that wealthy foreigners paid Bosnian Serb forces for the opportunity to shoot at civilians from sniper positions in the hills surrounding the city.

Background: The Siege of Sarajevo

The Siege of Sarajevo lasted 1,425 days, from April 1992 to February 1996, making it the longest siege of a capital city in modern warfare. Following Bosnia and Herzegovina’s declaration of independence from Yugoslavia, Bosnian Serb forces surrounded the city and subjected it to relentless shelling and sniper fire. An estimated 11,000 civilians were killed, and the city’s main thoroughfare became known as “Sniper Alley.”

The Allegations

According to the investigation, participants allegedly paid between €80,000 and €100,000 for the opportunity to shoot at civilians — including women and children — from Bosnian Serb Army (VRS) positions. Multiple sources have confirmed the allegation that higher fees were charged for shooting children, as El País reported.

The allegations implicate nationals from Italy, Belgium, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the United States, Canada, and Russia, according to the research compiled by investigators.

A Growing European Investigation

The Belgian probe follows similar investigations opened in Italy in November 2025 and Austria in April 2026. The Italian investigation, led by Milan prosecutor Alessandro Gobbi, was triggered by a criminal complaint filed by journalist and author Ezio Gavazzeni, supported by former magistrate Guido Salvini.

In February 2026, Italian authorities identified and questioned their first suspect — an 80-year-old former truck driver from Pordenone who allegedly boasted about “hunting men” in Sarajevo. Seven legally owned weapons were found in his home, though he denied the allegations, claiming he went to Bosnia to work, not to hunt.

Austrian authorities confirmed in April 2026 that they had opened an investigation into two individuals — an Austrian man and one other person — with the Austrian public broadcaster ORF reporting that “substantial evidence” exists against them, as NOS reported.

The Documentary That Reignited the Case

The allegations gained renewed international attention following the 2022 documentary “Sarajevo Safari” by Slovenian director Miran Zupanič, co-produced by Al Jazeera Balkans. The film features testimony from Edin Subasic, a former Bosnian intelligence agent, who described learning of “five Italians with hunting equipment” who described themselves as “hunters who paid Serbs to shoot people.”

Crucially, the documentary’s claims were corroborated by earlier, independent testimony. In 2007, former US Marine John Jordan testified before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) that he had seen “tourist snipers” at VRS positions in Grbavica — individuals who “did not appear to be locals” based on their clothing, weaponry, and the way they were escorted by local officers.

Michael Giffoni, former deputy head of Italy’s diplomatic mission in Sarajevo during the war, also confirmed the phenomenon, stating: “Subasic isn’t making anything up,” as The Guardian reported.

Legal Framework and Challenges

The crimes under investigation are classified as intentional homicide with aggravating circumstances of cruelty and base motives. In Italy, these crimes carry no statute of limitations and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Belgium and Austria will need to determine applicable statutes under their own legal systems.

However, significant evidentiary challenges remain. The passage of more than three decades, the death of potential witnesses, and the difficulty of corroborating decades-old claims present substantial obstacles to prosecution. British soldiers who served in Sarajevo have told the BBC they never saw evidence of tourist snipers, suggesting the large number of checkpoints would have made such operations “logistically very difficult.”

Reactions and Denials

Officials from Republika Srpska and war veterans’ associations have sharply denied the allegations, calling them “propaganda” and “heinous lies” directed against the VRS and the Serb people. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has also denied allegations — filed separately by Croatian journalist Domagoj Margetic — that he participated in shootings, stating: “I have never killed or injured anyone, nor done anything of the sort.”

What’s Next

The Belgian Federal Prosecutor stated it opened the dossier “on the basis of information that has appeared in the press” and declined further comment. The investigation signals potential legal action against those involved in organizing or participating in such activities, though no names or specific charges have been confirmed.

As European prosecutors coordinate their efforts, the case represents a significant — if belated — attempt to hold individuals accountable for crimes committed during the Bosnian War, potentially setting precedents for prosecuting foreign participants in conflict zones. The question remains whether the evidentiary trail, after more than 30 years, will lead to convictions or remain a haunting historical allegation.