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Ombudsman of Bosnia and Herzegovina

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

CASE HANDLING SINCE 1996

The Human Rights Ombudsman of Bosnia and Herzegovina got a new legal basis on 3 January last year. The case statistics for the institution since then are most encouraging.

The backlog of cases, which was really considerable 17 months ago, has now been reduced with more than three fourths (75.7 %), although almost 25 % more complaints have been registered on average per month since then. This means that complainants now get their cases handled much quicker than before and that they can normally receive the outcome of the handling of their cases within a reasonable time.

It can further be noticed that during these 17 months formal recommendations have been issued concerning more than twice the corresponding number of complaints during the previous almost five years (1 614 compared with 757).

The number of cases resolved otherwise, which could imply amicable solution, no violation found or complaint withdrawn for various reasons, is also considerably higher than the total number for the much longer previous period (2 949 compared with 1 715).

OTHER ACTIVITIES DURING APRIL AND MAY 2002

Inspections, Lectures etc

The Ombudsman, Mr Frank Orton, and an inspection team of his conducted formal inspections of the prison in Zenica on 25 April and the prison in Foča / Srbinje on 26 April. - Visiting Čapljina on 3 April and Stolac and Trebinje on 4 April he held public meetings in these cities and addressed the Mayors of Čapljina and Stolac. - In Banja Luka on 22 April he informed the Republika Srpska Prime Minister, Mr Mladen Ivanić, and seven other Republika Srpska Ministers, about the Ombudsman concept and his work.

International Contacts

On 10-12 April the Ombudsman participated in the 6th International Conference of National Human Rights Institutions in Copenhagen, chairing one of its plenary sessions, and on 22-24 May he participated in the VI EOI European Ombudsman Conference in Kraków.

A visit by the Swedish Ombudsman, Mr Jan Pennlöv, on 24-28 April included a training session with Human Rights Ombudsman staff and participation in the prison inspections on 25 and 26 April. - Visits were also paid by a Swedish delegation on 8 April and a Slovenian Ombudsman prison inspection expert on 15-16 April.

A seminar with representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina Diplomatic Missions, particularly dealing with human rights, which was scheduled for 16 May and which had since long been planned together with the Minister for Human Rights of Bosnia and Herzegovina, had to be cancelled on 13 May for reasons beyond Human Rights Ombudsman control.

Meetings

Meetings took place on various subjects with inter alia Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Prime Minister Alija Behmen on 2 April, OSCE Deputy Head of Mission Dieter Woltmann the same day, Bosnia and Herzegovina Human Rights Minister Krešimir Zubak on 8 April, EU Secretary General, Dr Javier Solana on 16 April, Independent Judicial Commission Deputy Director Kari Kiesiläinen on 17 April, the Swedish Ambassador the same day as well as the following day and with President of the Republika Srpska Mirko Šarović on 23 April.

Meetings took further place with the Islamic Ambassadors in Sarajevo on 7 May, Croatian Ambassador Josip Vrbošić on 8 May, Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidency Member Jozo Križanović on 13 May, then High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch on 17 May, former Communications Regulatory Agency Director Krister Thelin on 17 May, OSCE Head of Mission Robert Beecroft on 18 May, Bosnia and Herzegovina House of Peoples Deputy Speaker Sejfudin Tokić on 20 May, an International Federation of Red Cross representative on 21 May, Bosnia and Herzegovina Council of Ministers Chair Dragan Mikerević on 27 May, Bosnia and Herzegovina Ambassador in Stockholm Mediha Filipović on 28 May and previous Bosnia and Herzegovina Ombudsman Gret Haller on 28 and 29 May.

Ombudsman of Bosnia and Herzegovina

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

CASE HANDLING SINCE 1996

The Human Rights Ombudsman of Bosnia and Herzegovina got a new legal basis on 3 January last year. The case statistics for the institution since then are most encouraging.

The backlog of cases, which was really considerable 17 months ago, has now been reduced with more than three fourths (75.7 %), although almost 25 % more complaints have been registered on average per month since then. This means that complainants now get their cases handled much quicker than before and that they can normally receive the outcome of the handling of their cases within a reasonable time.

It can further be noticed that during these 17 months formal recommendations have been issued concerning more than twice the corresponding number of complaints during the previous almost five years (1 614 compared with 757).

The number of cases resolved otherwise, which could imply amicable solution, no violation found or complaint withdrawn for various reasons, is also considerably higher than the total number for the much longer previous period (2 949 compared with 1 715).

OTHER ACTIVITIES DURING APRIL AND MAY 2002

Inspections, Lectures etc

The Ombudsman, Mr Frank Orton, and an inspection team of his conducted formal inspections of the prison in Zenica on 25 April and the prison in Foča / Srbinje on 26 April. - Visiting Čapljina on 3 April and Stolac and Trebinje on 4 April he held public meetings in these cities and addressed the Mayors of Čapljina and Stolac. - In Banja Luka on 22 April he informed the Republika Srpska Prime Minister, Mr Mladen Ivaniæ, and seven other Republika Srpska Ministers, about the Ombudsman concept and his work.

International Contacts

On 10-12 April the Ombudsman participated in the 6th International Conference of National Human Rights Institutions in Copenhagen, chairing one of its plenary sessions, and on 22-24 May he participated in the VI EOI European Ombudsman Conference in KrakĂłw.

A visit by the Swedish Ombudsman, Mr Jan Pennlöv, on 24-28 April included a training session with Human Rights Ombudsman staff and participation in the prison inspections on 25 and 26 April. - Visits were also paid by a Swedish delegation on 8 April and a Slovenian Ombudsman prison inspection expert on 15-16 April.

A seminar with representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina Diplomatic Missions, particularly dealing with human rights, which was scheduled for 16 May and which had since long been planned together with the Minister for Human Rights of Bosnia and Herzegovina, had to be cancelled on 13 May for reasons beyond Human Rights Ombudsman control.

Meetings

Meetings took place on various subjects with inter alia Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Prime Minister Alija Behmen on 2 April, OSCE Deputy Head of Mission Dieter Woltmann the same day, Bosnia and Herzegovina Human Rights Minister Krešimir Zubak on 8 April, EU Secretary General, Dr Javier Solana on 16 April, Independent Judicial Commission Deputy Director Kari Kiesiläinen on 17 April, the Swedish Ambassador the same day as well as the following day and with President of the Republika Srpska Mirko Šaroviæ on 23 April.

Meetings took further place with the Islamic Ambassadors in Sarajevo on 7 May, Croatian Ambassador Josip Vrbošiæ on 8 May, Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidency Member Jozo Križanoviæ on 13 May, then High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch on 17 May, former Communications Regulatory Agency Director Krister Thelin on 17 May, OSCE Head of Mission Robert Beecroft on 18 May, Bosnia and Herzegovina House of Peoples Deputy Speaker Sejfudin Tokiæ on 20 May, an International Federation of Red Cross representative on 21 May, Bosnia and Herzegovina Council of Ministers Chair Dragan Mikereviæ on 27 May, Bosnia and Herzegovina Ambassador in Stockholm Mediha Filipoviæ on 28 May and previous Bosnia and Herzegovina Ombudsman Gret Haller on 28 and 29 May.