Italy investigates claims tourists paid to shoot civilians during Bosnian war

Milan prosecutors have opened an investigation into allegations that wealthy Italian citizens paid large sums to shoot civilians in Sarajevo during the 1990s conflict.

Journalist Ezio Gavazzeni filed the complaint, describing a “human hunt” organized for affluent gun enthusiasts who paid up to €100,000 (in today’s value) to kill defenseless men, women, and children.

More than 11,000 civilians died during the four-year siege of Sarajevo, where Serbian forces surrounded the city and targeted residents with shelling and sniper fire.

Gavazzeni revisited the story after watching “Sarajevo Safari” (2022), a documentary by Slovenian filmmaker Miran Zupanič, which alleged that similar “war safaris” involved participants from Italy, the US, and Russia.

The Milan prosecutor’s office is now working with Bosnian authorities to identify potential witnesses and determine who may have taken part in the atrocities.