Bosnia and Herzegovina


This country page describes, in brief, data that TJET has compiled on regime transitions, intrastate conflict episodes, and transitional justice mechanisms. For details on the data included on this page, view the FAQ.

For Bosnia and Herzegovina, TJET has collected information on: four amnesties between 1996 and 1998; 276 domestic trials starting between 1993 and 2020; twelve foreign trials starting between 1994 and 2010; 55 international trials starting between 1994 and 2006; one reparations policy created in 1995; one truth commission mandated in 2003; and one vetting policy starting in 1995.

Select any transitional justice mechanism in the table below to view a timeline in the figure.


Country Background

Democratic Transition

Based on well-known democracy data, TJET records one democratic transition starting in 1996.

Data up to 2020. Hover over column labels for definitions.

Violent Conflict

Based on the Uppsala Conflict Data Program, TJET records five violent intrastate conflict episodes between 1992 and 1995, involving five distinct armed opposition groups fighting against the government. Four conflict episodes were internationalized by involvement of external state actors.

Data up to 2020. Hover over column labels for definitions. Source: UCDP Dyadic Dataset version 23.1, https://ucdp.uu.se/downloads/index.html#dyadic.


Transitional Justice Data

As of 2020, Bosnia and Herzegovina ranks 121st out of 174 on TJET’s legacy of violence index. For a full list of country rankings over time, view the index page, and for an explanation of the index, view the Methods & FAQs page.


Amnesties

Bosnia and Herzegovina had four amnesties between 1996 and 1998. Two occurred in the context of democratic transition. Four were passed after internal armed conflict. Four were part of a peace agreement. Two amnesties released political prisoners. One amnesty forgave human rights violations.

Data up to 2020. Hover over column labels for definitions.


Domestic Trials

TJET has compiled data on 276 domestic prosecutions between 1993 and 2020. These include 56 transitional human rights prosecutions of state agents, in which 60 persons were convicted; 57 intrastate conflict prosecutions of state agents, in which 61 persons were convicted; and 219 intrastate conflict prosecutions of opposition members, in which 237 persons were convicted. In eleven trials that involved high-ranking state agents, six persons were convicted.

TJET considers the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s War Crimes Chamber (Section I) to be domestic, not a hybrid tribunal. Though this division contained international staff when it began operations in 2005, they were phased out by the year 2012.

Click on accused records for data on convictions. Data up to 2020. Hover over column labels for definitions.


International or Hybrid Trials

Nationals of Bosnia and Herzegovina were subject to 54 international prosecutions between 1994 and 2017, which led to 77 convictions.

Click on accused records for data on convictions. Data up to 2020. Hover over column labels for definitions.


Foreign Trials

Nationals of Bosnia and Herzegovina were defendants in twelve foreign prosecutions in Austria, Croatia, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Serbia, Sweden, and Switzerland beginning between 1994 and 2013.

Click on accused records for data on convictions. Data up to 2020. Hover over column labels for definitions.


Reparations Policies

Bosnia and Herzegovina implemented one reparations policy between 1995 and 2003. According to available information, there was a total of 255000 individual beneficiaries. One reparations policy provided collective benefits.

Data up to 2020. Hover over column labels for definitions.


Truth Commissions

Bosnia and Herzegovina mandated one truth commission in 2003. The commission completed its operations in 2004. The commission issued a final report, which are publicly available. The report included recommendations for prosecutions, reparations, and institutional reforms.

Data up to 2020. Hover over column labels for definitions.


Vetting Policies

Bosnia and Herzegovina had one vetting policy between 1995 and 2007. This policy provided sanctions based on past individual conduct. One policy prescribed both dismissals from current employment and bans from holding future office. One policy aimed to declassify the records of former state security agents.

Data up to 2020. Hover over column labels for definitions.


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