The UN on Friday said it is "deeply concerned" by recent incidents in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Serbia that saw individuals glorifying war crimes and convicted war criminals, triggering anxiety and tensions in communities.

Axar.az reports citing foreign media that Liz Throssell, a spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said at a UN news conference that the incidents target specific communities with hate speech and, in some cases, directly incite violence coming in a year both countries have elections scheduled.

“These acts, which happened amid religious holidays last weekend, included large groups of people chanting the name of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic during torchlight processions or singing nationalistic songs,” said the UN official.