06 Dec Opinion of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights on developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, Dunja Mijatović, had warned in her opinion from 18. November 2021, that warmongering has seriously intensified in Bosnia and Herzegovina and that some politicians, including in the neighbouring countries Serbia and Croatia, ratchet-up their inflammatory rhetoric, while the international community struggles to find a response to escalating tensions.
The Commissioner noted that Council of Europe member states should not underestimate the dangers of this situation. “Now is the time to demonstrate unity in order to protect and promote human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Now is the time to work on de-escalation of the tensions by making better use of the multilateral dialogue, co-operation and coordination tools that international organisations provide”, added she.
The Commissioner gave four urgent steps needed to be taken:
First, the constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina and electoral law must be stripped of their discriminatory nature and become inclusive. Twelve years ago, the European Court of Human Rights found in the Sejdić and Finci judgment that the country’s constitution and electoral system based on ethnicity were discriminatory.
Second, hate speech, genocide denial and the glorification of war criminals must stop. Instead of warmongering and spreading divisive propaganda, politicians in BiH and the region should work towards improving inter-ethnic relations and ensuring that everyone’s rights are equally protected. Civil society and their courageous actions to point out problems should be protected and not suppressed
Third, improving quality of life and bridging inequalities, which have worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, should be addressed as a matter of urgency. In that respect, more efforts should be put into institutional and economic reforms, including enabling the independent and effective work of judicial bodies, as well as fighting corruption and its harmful effects on the enjoyment of human rights.
Lastly, the media should play a positive role by reporting ethically and avoiding becoming a tool of well-orchestrated war machinery, as has happened in the past. A free press is a pillar of democracy, to ensure accountability, to expose human rights violations, and prevent incitement to hatred and violence.
Hear you can find the full Opinion of the Commissioner: https://www.coe.int/en/web/commissioner/-/op-ed-de-escalate-bosnia-and-herzegovina-before-it-is-too-late
References from the official website of the Council of Europe