The House of Representatives of the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina last night adopted amendments to the Criminal Code of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which completed a multi-month procedure and brought the law into line with the Istanbul Convention. The key innovation is the introduction of femicide as a separate criminal offense, as well as toughening sanctions for violence against women.
The law was adopted with an amendment by the delegate of the House of Peoples, Haris Zahiragić, who changed the wording in Article 2 so that the phrase “lives with another person” is supplemented with the words “of the opposite sex”. According to some in the public, this limits the legal provisions exclusively to heterosexual partners.
This solution has provoked strong reactions from international organizations. The United Nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the OSCE Mission and the EU Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina have expressed regret because, as they state, the amendments to the law did not retain the earlier, more inclusive version of the text adopted on May 28 in the House of Representatives. They warn that an opportunity has been missed to legally ensure protection for all victims, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation.
“We welcome the efforts of the FBiH in combating gender-based violence, but we believe that some shortcomings have reduced the effectiveness of the law,” they said in a joint statement.
However, domestic politicians and some members of the public emphasize that the most important thing is that femicide has finally been recognized as a separate criminal offense, after more than ten years of waiting. Belmin Zukan, a representative of the SDP, pointed out that the law has now been harmonized between both houses and that it brings harsher penalties and a clearer judicial response to violence against women.
After the law is published in the Official Gazette, it is expected to enter into force quickly. International institutions are calling for an urgent start on the development of by-laws that would enable comprehensive protection for all victims of violence.
