Council of Europe’s Human Rights Commissioner Dunja Mijatovic urged the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina authorities to investigate abuse allegations in the Pazaric institution for youths with psycho-social disabilities as soon as possible, calling on the closure of such institutions in favour of reforms in the child care system.

“The revelations of abuse in the Pazaric institution for children and youth with intellectual and psycho-social disabilities are profoundly shocking. I call upon the authorities of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina to initiate, as a matter of urgency, an effective investigation into the cases of abuse in this institution and bring to justice those responsible for the abuse,” Mijatovic said adding that:

“The authorities should urgently make progress towards the closure of all such institutions and reform of the child care system in line with human rights standards. People segregated in institutions regularly suffer from abandonment and neglect. As required by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Bosnia and Herzegovina should ensure that all children with disabilities live in a family setting. Where the immediate family is unable to care for a child with disabilities, every effort should be undertaken to provide alternative care within the wider family, and failing that, within the community in a family setting.”

In late 2019, an MP in the Parliament of Bosnia's Federation (FBiH) entity, Sabina Cudic, presented shocking photos showing the patients, mostly children, tied to beds and other pieces of furniture and called for urgent dismissal of the management in the institution.

This led to a series of protests which included parents of the children treated in the home.

The FBiH Government soon after dismissed the supervisory and steering boards of the institution.

The EU Delegation in Bosnia also reacted to the scandal, saying it was “appalled” with the images and called for a thorough investigation into the matter.