Bosnia and Herzegovina
As of early 2026, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) remains a country defined by deep ethnic divisions and a complex, often dysfunctional administrative structure. While it is an EU candidate country, international observers—including the European Commission and Human Rights Watch—report significant stagnation and even backsliding in key areas of human rights and the rule of law.
The following are the primary human rights issues currently facing BiH:
1. Constitutional Discrimination and Political Rights
The country's "consociational" political system, established by the 1995 Dayton Agreement, remains fundamentally discriminatory.
Ethnic Requirements: The Constitution still restricts the Presidency and the House of Peoples only to members of the three "constituent peoples" (Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs). This leaves roughly 12% of the population—including Jews, Roma, and those who identify simply as "Bosnians"—legally barred from high office.
Defiance of the ECtHR: Despite multiple rulings from the European Court of Human Rights (starting with Sejdić-Finci in 2009 and the more recent Kovačević case in 2023), BiH has failed to implement constitutional reforms to ensure political equality for all citizens.
2. Shrinking Civic Space and Media Freedom
Particularly in the Republika Srpska (RS) entity, there has been a documented "crackdown" on dissent throughout 2024 and 2025.
Criminalization of Defamation: The RS entity's decision to re-criminalize defamation in 2023 continues to have a chilling effect on journalists and activists in 2026, leading to a rise in self-censorship.
"Foreign Agent" Laws: Efforts to target NGOs receiving foreign funding—similar to the Russian model—were declared unconstitutional in May 2025, but civil society organizations report continued harassment through "disproportionate tax inspections" and verbal abuse from high-ranking officials.
Safety of Journalists: Media professionals face frequent physical and verbal attacks, particularly when investigating corruption or war crimes. Convictions for these attacks remain rare.
3. Accountability for War Crimes and Glorification of Criminals
Over 30 years since the end of the Bosnian War, justice remains incomplete and the social narrative is increasingly polarized.
Stagnant Prosecutions: Progress in local courts has stalled. As of 2026, hundreds of war crimes cases remain pending, and the implementation of the Revised National War Crimes Strategy has been repeatedly delayed.
Revisionism in Education: In late 2025, the RS entity introduced a new history curriculum for elementary schools that portrays convicted war criminals like Radovan Karadžić and Ratko Mladić as heroes, while omitting their convictions for genocide.
Sectarian Returnees: Refugees returning to their pre-war homes frequently face hate speech and physical attacks, with authorities often failing to investigate these as hate crimes.
4. Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Femicide
Domestic violence and femicide have reached "alarming" levels, triggering mass protests across major cities like Sarajevo and Banja Luka in late 2025.
Inadequate Protection: While a new €7.5 million EU-UN project was launched in December 2025 to strengthen GBV response, survivors still face a fragmented system where police, social services, and the judiciary rarely coordinate effectively.
Legal Gaps: The law still does not explicitly recognize "femicide" as a distinct crime in all jurisdictions, and shelters for victims (Safe Houses) remain chronically underfunded.
5. Rights of LGBTQ+ and Disabled Persons
Step Backwards for LGBTQ+ Rights: In a major setback, the Republika Srpska government removed "gender identity" as a protected ground in its criminal code in April 2025. While the Sarajevo Pride parade took place peacefully in June 2025, hate speech by public figures remains widespread and unpunished.
Institutionalization: Thousands of persons with disabilities continue to be institutionalized in facilities with poor conditions. UN monitors have criticized the lack of a "deinstitutionalization strategy" to allow these individuals to live independently.
6. Migrant and Refugee Treatment
BiH remains a key transit point on the "Balkan Route."
Inadequate Shelter: Many asylum seekers face substandard conditions in reception centers. Reports of "pushbacks" (involuntary returns) by both BiH and neighboring Croatian authorities persist.
Limited Asylum Success: The asylum system is largely ineffective; very few individuals are granted refugee status annually, leaving thousands in a legal and humanitarian limbo.