Bosnia and Herzegovina was slow in implementing reforms to improve human rights necessary for accession to the European Union, warns the latest report of the Human Rights Watch organization in the section on the state of human rights in the world.
The long-standing failure of the BiH authorities to resolve the issue of constitutional discrimination against Jews and Roma has once again come under international scrutiny. Although anti-domestic violence policies have improved in the Federation entity, little progress has been made on accountability for war crimes or the protection of asylum seekers and migrants, while media freedom and legal protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people have regressed.
In February 2025, Milorad Dodik was convicted and removed from the post of president of the entity Republika Srpska (RS) due to separatist laws and threats of secession. In response, the Assembly of the RS adopted new laws limiting the powers of the federal state over the RS, which were suspended by the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina in March 2025. The planned referendum in October, which challenged court decisions against Dodik, caused concern for the rule of law and territorial integrity of BiH, and anxiety among non-Serbs living in that entity.
Discrimination and Intolerance In March, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe analyzed Bosnia’s failure to implement European Court of Human Rights rulings on constitutional discrimination against Jews, Roma and others, demanding from the BiH authorities a detailed action plan and implementation timeline.
Roma residents of the Banlozi camp near Zenica won a victory in March against the water company for denying access to water. In general, Roma continued to face discrimination and social exclusion. Between January and July 2025, according to OSCE data, there were 20 ongoing trials for hate crimes; in addition, two cases resulted in convictions and one acquittal during the first half of 2025. All had an ethnic or religious motivation.
Rights of persons with disabilities In May, a survey of civil society organizations at the level of Bosnia and Herzegovina showed limited progress in the implementation of UN recommendations on the rights of persons with disabilities and inadequate protection of their rights.
Accountability for war crimes July 11 marked the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, a grim reminder that, three decades later, accountability for war crimes remains slow and incomplete. In January, BiH authorities once again extended the deadline for the full implementation of the Revised State Strategy for War Crimes Cases until the end of 2025.
According to OSCE data, on September 1, there were 222 pending cases of war crimes before all courts in Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the first eight months of 2025, first-instance verdicts were passed in 8 cases, where 12 defendants were found guilty and 2 acquitted. Final verdicts were handed down in 7 cases in the same period, with 12 found guilty.
By September 2024, there were 53 ongoing cases of conflict-related sexual violence, of which 3 had final verdicts in which 6 defendants were found guilty.
Almost two years after the entry into force of the Law on the Protection of Civilian Victims of War in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, its implementation is still blocked by cantonal regulations. Despite calls from the UN and the EU to stop this practice, the RS authorities continue to impose court costs on victims of war crimes who seek compensation from the perpetrators through civil courts.
Asylum seekers and migrants In the first half of 2025, BiH authorities reported a drop in irregular arrivals to 5,178 compared to 12,334 in the same period in 2024. According to UNHCR, most came from Afghanistan and remain vulnerable or in need of international protection due to the humanitarian crisis there.
Between January and July 2025, only four people in Bosnia were recognized as refugees. UNHCR expressed concern that the majority of those who meet the criteria for refugee status are instead granted only subsidiary protection, which does not confer rights to naturalization, family reunification or travel documents.
Gender-based violence Gender-based violence is a serious problem, and the state’s response remains insufficient. In November 2025, Aldina Jahić was chased through Mostar and killed by her ex-partner. The authorities did not take measures after the perpetrator was charged based on another person’s report in January for endangering security.
In August 2025, BiH adopted a law recognizing femicide as a separate criminal offense. Although the law strengthens the protection of women, activists have highlighted the need for more funding and training for the judiciary and the police. The draft law on femicide in Republika Srpska was withdrawn in 2024 and was not reintroduced until the writing of the report.
Sexual orientation and gender identity In March 2025, Republika Srpska adopted changes to the criminal code that eliminated gender identity as a protected category. In July, the FBiH parliament explicitly excluded same-sex couples from protection against domestic violence. The Pride Parade’s main event saw two attacks, with authorities later claiming no incidents had occurred.
Freedom of the media Freedom of the media faces serious challenges; the country ranked 86th in the world according to the 2025 Media Freedom Index. In January, the FBiH authorities proposed changes to the criminal code, according to which it would be punishable by imprisonment for journalists to publish personal data without prior consent. By the time the report was written, the draft had not been adopted, it says N1 BiH.
