Rule of law
To ensure equality before the law, protect fair trial rights and secure justice for victims, the judicial system in Bosnia and Herzegovina must demonstrate the political and institutional will and the capacity to investigate, prosecute and adjudicate complex and serious crimes efficiently and effectively. In light of this, the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, per its mandate under the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, also known as the Dayton Agreement, implements its extensive rule of law programming to safeguard the strength, impartiality and independence of the judiciary in BiH.
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Overview
In the field of rule of law, the Mission works to strengthen an independent, accountable, and effective justice system in Bosnia and Herzegovina that upholds human rights and is capable of addressing serious crimes, such as war crimes, hate crimes, trafficking in human beings, terrorism, corruption, organized crime and domestic and gender-based violence. Despite earlier reforms, the justice sector in BiH continues to face challenges, including limited independence, capacity, and accountability, compounded by a fragmented legal framework and complex jurisdictional structures.
The Mission addresses these issues through trial monitoring, particularly in cases with implications for peace and stability, and by overseeing the work of judicial bodies such as the BiH High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council. It also provides capacity-building and legal support to justice actors, civil society and institutions; contributes to legal reforms; and promotes transparency and accountability through advocacy, reporting and public outreach.
The Mission further supports transitional justice by developing cross-sectoral approaches to address the legacy of conflict.
Featured
Report
War Crimes Case Processing in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2004 – 2024)
Since 2004, the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mission) has conducted comprehensive trial monitoring of war crimes cases in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Complementing this trial monitoring, in 2014, the Mission’s War Crimes Monitoring Project (WCMP), funded by the European Union (EU), began collecting and analyzing data regarding the pre-indictment backlog of all reported potential war crimes.
Report
Hate Crime Underreporting Survey 2023
This report provides key findings from the 2023 Hate Crime Underreporting Survey for Bosnia and Herzegovina carried out between July and October 2023.
Collection
Hate Monitor
The Hate Monitor is a monthly visualization of the Mission’s hate crimes monitoring data. It presents the latest data on all known bias-motivated incidents and responses to these incidents by the justice sector, local authorities, and civil society throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Projects
Initiatives funded by individual states and organizations
News and activities
Current announcements, press releases, media advisories and other updates
Resources
Official OSCE documents, publications and other manually selected resources
Factsheet
Promoting rule of law in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Factsheet
Strengthening and reforming the justice sector
Factsheet
Ensuring Accountability for War Crimes and Promoting Transitional Justice
Factsheet
Combating Hate Crimes and Bias-Motivated Incidents
Factsheet
Promoting Effective Judicial Responses to Corruption and Organized Crime
Studies and reports
Reports, studies and analyses for policymakers, researchers and all those interested in this field of our work.
Manuals and guides
Practice-oriented manuals, guides, handbooks and recommendations for policymakers and practitioners working in this field.
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