Ordinance a Threat to Fair Trial

We are concerned about the adoption of a new ordinance on gaining access to information that could have incalculable consequences on the right to a fair and just trial.

The implementation of the ordinance will mean that the testimonies of victims and witnesses of war crimes will not be available to the public, nor will it be available for broadcasting. In addition, specialized television and radio programs about war crime trials will no longer be allowed. This ordinance excludes independent reporting such as the work of our partner Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN).

In a letter to the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina we urge the repeal of the ordinance.

“We are strongly committed to the transparency of trials in all states where we are active. At the same time, together with our local partners we are aiming at improving the level of professionalism in media reporting on war crime trials. A precondition for objective reporting is full transparency, and therefore we expect a repeal of the ordinance, which essentially restricts this principle”, said Goran Miletic, Programme Director at Civil Rights Defenders.

Read the letter here.