Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina has reported hate crime data to ODIHR. The three criminal codes applicable in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republika Srpska and the Brčko District contain identical or very similar hate crime provisions. These provisions include a definition of hate crime, penalty enhancements for specific offences and a mandatory general penalty enhancement for offences committed out of hatred. Hate crime data are provided by the Ministry of Interior but an institutional system for recording and collecting data has not been established. Victimization surveys have not been conducted.

SELECT YEAR

OFFICIAL DATA

Year	Hate crimes recorded by police	Prosecuted	Sentenced
2020	8	8	5
2019	21	13	9
2018	Not available	Not available	Not available
2017	Not available	Not available	Not available
2016	Not available	Not available	Not available
2015	24	12	3
2014	200	36	23
2013	350	77	88
2012	Not available	Not available	Not available
2011	Not available	Not available	Not available
2010	19	Not available	Not available
2009	15	Not available	Not available

About 2009 Data

Figures include crimes of incitement to hatred.

By bias motivation
By type of crime

Download official data

National developments

The Ministry of Security established a working group, consisting of judges at the state and entity levels, with the aim of amending the Criminal Code. The proposed amendments begin with a substantive definition of a hate crime in the Code that includes the protected characteristics of religion, sexual orientation, nationality or language. Based on that definition, bias-motivation could be considered as an aggravating circumstance during sentencing for any criminal offense. Additionally, the amendments would also include specific penalty enhancements based on bias motivation for specific offenses, including murder, physical assault and rape. ODIHR, in co-operation with the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, provided a commentary on the draft legislation to ensure that it is in compliance with OSCE commitments and international standards. The adoption of these amendments will be considered by the Parliament in 2010.

Incidents reported by civil society, international organizations and the Holy See

INTERNATIONAL REPORTS

Racist and xenophobic hate crime

The UN Human Rights Council, in its Universal Periodic Review, made a number of recommendations related to addressing racism and xenophobia, and specifically encouraged Bosnia and Herzegovina to improve legislation to combat racist crimes.

ODIHR's police training programme on hate crime was implemented in 2009 in Bosnia and Herzegovina.