A Sarajevo court has delivered a first-instance verdict in one of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s most closely watched medical negligence cases, finding three doctors guilty over the death of two-and-a-half-year-old Džena Gadžun, who died in November 2021 after a surgical procedure at a private clinic.
According to the ruling, Suad Rožajac was sentenced to 10 years in prison for negligent medical treatment and was banned from practicing medicine for eight years. Nina Jovanović received a prison sentence of four years and six months, while Jasmina Halimić was sentenced to three years behind bars. Jovanović and Halimić were convicted of abuse of office, with Jovanović also barred from medical practice and medical functions for six years, and Halimić banned for three years. In total, the three were sentenced to 17 and a half years in prison.
The case dates back to November 2021, when Džena underwent surgery intended to correct a drooping eyelid. She had initially been examined at one private clinic and was later operated on at another facility. The procedure was performed under general anesthesia, after which the child fell into a coma. She was then transferred to the Clinical Center of the University of Sarajevo, where she died three days later.
Her death triggered strong public reaction and became a symbol of demands for greater accountability in the healthcare system. Over the past several years, citizens held protests calling for responsibility and a more effective judicial response in cases involving alleged medical negligence. The verdict came four and a half years after Džena’s death, and the convicted doctors were not present in court when the ruling was announced.
The emotional weight of the case was evident in the courtroom. After the sentences were read, Džena’s parents, Amila and Muris Gadžun, broke down in tears. Speaking after the verdict, they said the ruling confirmed what they had claimed from the beginning — that those responsible for their daughter’s treatment were also responsible for her death.
Džena’s mother said no punishment could undo the loss of her child, but added that the verdict could help protect other children in the future. Her father described his feelings as a mixture of pain and relief, saying that the most important outcome was that responsibility had finally been established through the court process.
Throughout the case, the family also faced accusations that they had neglected their daughter, a claim they strongly rejected. After the verdict, Džena’s mother said those allegations had been among the most painful parts of the process and that the court’s decision had now dismissed such suggestions.
Earlier reporting on the case had highlighted questions surrounding the procedure itself, the qualifications of those involved, and the equipment used during the intervention. Among the issues raised were claims that one of the doctors did not hold a valid license from the Medical Chamber of Sarajevo Canton and concerns that certain anesthesiology equipment had not been properly verified under relevant regulations.
The ruling marks the end of one major phase in a case that has resonated far beyond the courtroom. While the decision is not yet final and can still be challenged through appeals, it represents a significant legal development and a measure of closure for a family that has spent years seeking answers.
