Overview of Human Rights in Bosnia-Herzegovina

The international community has continued to push Bosnia-Herzegovina to improve its human rights record.  While come effort has been put forth, there are many areas in which serious problems remain.

During the 1992-95 war, there were many crimes and atrocities committed and left unpunished. Rape, murder, genocide, ‘disappearances’ of dissenters, arbitrary bombings and landmine placement in civilian areas, are a few examples of the crimes committed during war time.

To date, impunity for those war crimes and crimes against humanity continue to go unpunished due to increasing financial constraints and lack of governmental cooperation in aiding the investigations of the alleged perpetrators. Indeed,  Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic -- two of the most wanted war criminals by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia --  remained at large. However, the arrest of of Zdravko Tolimir -- an aide to Mladic -- in 2007 was regarded a key step in the right direction.

Meanwhile, police brutality of suspects, as well as political, ethic and religious violence, are everyday occurrences in the streets and homes of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Corruption and undue influence of the judiciary by political parties and the executive branch do not allow for justice and fair trials. The independent media is constantly harassed by authorities and the political parties in power. Discrimination against ethnic minorities and homosexuals is widespread, as is trafficking in persons. 

Human Development Index (HDI) Rank:

62nd out of 177

Note: Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite index that measures the level of well-being of nations in the world. It uses factors such as poverty, literacy, life-expectancy, education, gross domestic product, and purchasing power parity to assess the average achievements in each nation. It has been used in the United Nation’s Human Development Report since 1993.