The US is revoking the citizenship of accused Bosnian war criminal Kemal Mrndzic due to undisclosed past crimes at Celebici prison camp.
Bosnian war criminal, Kemal Mrndzic, US citizenship, Celebici prison camp, war crimes, denaturalization, Srebrenica massacre, Dayton Agreement, US Justice Department
The United States Department of Justice has moved to revoke the citizenship of accused Bosnian war criminal Kemal Mrndzic after uncovering crucial facts about his past. It was revealed that Mrndzic concealed his involvement in atrocities committed at the notorious Celebici prison camp during the Bosnian War. The US government is determined to ensure that individuals linked to war crimes cannot find refuge through American citizenship.
The Celebici prison camp was a site of horrific abuses from 1992 to 1995, as documented by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). Guarded by Bosnian officials like Mrndzic, the camp saw illegal detentions, torture, sexual assault, and the murder of prisoners. The ICTY prosecuted several commanders and guards for crimes against humanity, using testimonies and survivor accounts to build the case.
Mrndzic, according to US prosecutors, actively participated in these abuses. When he later applied for residency and, eventually, US citizenship, he failed to disclose his history—an omission that constitutes immigration fraud and grounds for denaturalization.
Advances in international justice and persistent investigations allowed US authorities to uncover Mrndzic’s role in the prison camp. Court records, ICTY archives, and new witness statements implicated him in serious violations, which he never revealed on his migration documents.
In 2024, Mrndzic was found guilty in a federal court of obtaining citizenship through fraud. The ruling led to a sentence of over five years in prison and started the process of stripping him of US citizenship. Once his sentence is complete, Mrndzic faces deportation. The US Department of Justice emphasized its commitment to denaturalization of individuals linked to crimes against humanity.
The Bosnian War (1992–1995) saw some of the most egregious human rights violations in Europe since WWII. Notably, the 1995 Srebrenica massacre resulted in the genocide of more than 8,000 men and boys. Camps like Celebici prison camp were epicenters of brutality, illustrating the scale of atrocities committed by multiple sides.
International efforts to prosecute war criminals through tribunals like the ICTY and national courts have been ongoing since the conflict’s conclusion. The conflict’s end was marked by the Dayton Agreement, but the search for justice continues.
The US government continues to pursue suspects of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The US Department of Justice’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section has brought several denaturalization cases against former war criminals and those complicit in overseas atrocities.
Learn more about how the US handles such cases at our recent US immigration cases overview.
For the original story and more in-depth reporting, see BBC News.
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