BIRN Bosnia and Herzegovina's multimedia page '44 Months under Siege' was symbolically published on April 6, 2022 - the 30th anniversary of the beginning of the longest siege of a capital city in modern conflict.

BIRN Bosnia and Herzegovina wanted to provide a new archive of material for the general public, journalists, students, historians, researchers and others, containing valuable materials and testimonies about these 44 months in the besieged city of Sarajevo, where more than 11,000 civilians were killed, including around 1,600 children. The project also serves to preserve the memories of those who died.

The multimedia project includes 44 interviews with residents of Sarajevo who lost family members, survived injuries during attacks, as well as going through hunger, deprivation, frostbite, the lack of civilised living conditions, uncertainty and fear, but also better moments that helped them to maintain their sanity.

Besides the massacres and other incidents, the facts of which have been established by the UN tribunal in The Hague, and about which Hague witnesses also spoke in interviews on this page, BIRN Bosnia and Herzegovina recorded the recollections of journalists, camera operators, artists, musicians, film directors and others who spoke about the lack of water, electricity, food and heating, as well as the risks of going to fetch water or firewood, the danger of contracting typhoid, the challenges of holding funerals while under fire, and other hardships.

The videos are sorted chronologically on the page, starting from April 1992 to November 1995. The 45th video is about the importance of the end of the war for the youngest residents who survived the siege.

The second section of the page is divided into four segments – sniper attacks, shelling, food and water, as well as everyday life during the siege, reflecting a common thread running through all the testimonies.

Director: Denis Dzidic

Editors: Dzana Brkanic, Semir Mujkic, Matthew Collin

Project journalist: Jasmin Begic

Internet page design: Olivia Solis

Web development: Muris Beso

Camera operators: Almir Nalo and Mirza Mrso

Video editor: Mirza Mokrovic

Archive of the Public RTV Service of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Smail Kapetanovic

Sulejman Mulaomerovic

Milan Trivic

Dino Mustafic

Sead Kresevljakovic

International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, ICTY

Historical Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina

War Childhood Museum

Dzemil Hodzic and Sniper Alley Photo

Union of Civilian Victims of Sarajevo Canton

Fikret Grabovica, president of the Association of Parents of Children Killed in the Siege of Sarajevo 1992-1995

Interviewees: Nazim Mahmutovic, Mirzet Duran, Sadeta Dervisevic, Ismet Tucak, Faruk Kulenovic, Damir Malagic, Dzenana Sokolovic, Asim Ajanovic, Alma Bravo Mehmedbasic, Fatima Pita, Ajdin Colic, Emir Nuhanovic, Dragan Miokovic, Elma Beslic, Sulejman Mulaomerovic, Haris Kajanija, Dejan Lazarevic, Senad Omicevic, Samir Pleho, Emina Milisic, Velija Mujezin, Jusuf Ziga, Behka Hrvat, Emir Turkusic, Lejla Ahmovic, Barbara Jurenic, Senida Karovic, Kasim Trnka, Munib Halac, Zenit Djozic, Advija Mujaric, Rabija Delic, Anela Catic, Dzevad Ramovic, Sefkija Okeric, Ibro Cakaric, Meliha Dzananovic, Filip Andronik, Amra Mucaki, Sandra Banjac, Arijana Saracevic, Miroslav Lukic, Islam Djugum, Hidajeta Kasapovic, Dino Mustafic.

Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, SIDA