OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina works with judges and prosecutors to improve efficiency in trial proceedings

Judges and prosecutors from across the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina worked to improve the efficiency of trials and reduce the length of proceedings during a workshop held on 5 November 2021 in Teslić. The event was organized by the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina in co-operation with the Federation’s Judicial and Prosecutorial Training Centre.

Participants focused on the practical aspects of trial and case management, internal and external factors that contribute to delays, and tools that judges have at their disposal to ensure trials are completed within a reasonable time.

“Our trial monitoring indicates that the length of proceedings is still a major concern for the judiciary in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is particularly worrying since an efficient judiciary is one of the prerequisites for ensuring the rule of law, equality of citizens before the law, and their right to a fair trial,” said Michael Schuetz, Head of the Mission’s Rule of Law Section.

The conclusions and recommendations on how to improve the efficiency of the judiciary stemming from the event will be shared with the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council.

This is the third such activity implemented by the Mission, following similar workshops held with judges and prosecutors from Republika Srpska and the Brčko District earlier this year. These feed into ongoing efforts to help align the work of the judiciary in Bosnia and Herzegovina with international fair trial standards, including provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights, which are an integral part of the country’s constitutional framework.

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina is mandated with strengthening human rights, democratic governance, and security co-operation. It is also committed to helping the BiH judiciary to improve efficiency and secure the unimpeded functioning of courts.