The Acting Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nina Suomalainen, and the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, today commended the Brčko District authorities for passing amendments to the Brčko District Criminal Code regarding human trafficking that brings it in line with relevant international standards and the BiH Criminal Code.
“This adoption represents an important step in harmonizing the criminal codes’ provisions on trafficking in human beings and related crimes in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, said Suomalainen.
From 2010 to 2012, the Mission assisted a working group of authorities from the state, entity and Brčko District levels, led by the State Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, in drafting a set of amendments to harmonize all four criminal codes’ trafficking and related provisions and bring them in line with international standards. The proposed set of amendments entrusted State-level bodies with jurisdiction for human trafficking cases that have an international element, while the Federation of BiH, Republika Srpska and Brčko District would be responsible for internal trafficking cases.
“The completion of this process would help ensure better protection of the rights of victims of human trafficking,” said Giammarinaro, who advocated for the legislative changes during a visit to the country last year. “Harmonization would also remove some of the current procedural issues and would enable more effective investigations and prosecution of this serious crime and grave violation of human rights.”
“The adoption of the amendments in Brčko District is quite significant. Now it is time for the Federation of BiH and Republika Srpska to follow this lead and complete the amendments process,” Suomalainen said, adding that the BiH Parliament had put their amendments on hold until Brčko District and the two entities adopted their respective amendments.
