Key findings from the OSCE Mission to BiH shed light on the need for significant improvements in the witness support system to ensure access to justice and provide quality psychological and administrative support for witnesses and victims.

These findings were unveiled today in Sarajevo during the conference titled “Findings on the Needs Assessment for Witness Support Capacities in BiH,” which brought together over 70 representatives from judicial institutions across BiH, civil society organizations, and members of the international community.

“Three decades after the cessation of conflict, survivors continue to grapple with various challenges, including the need for comprehensive recognition of their status as victims, access to meaningful support for the psychological and physical trauma endured during the war, and timely receipt of reparations for the harm suffered,” said Ambassador Brian Aggeler, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH. “Foremost among these concerns are the sluggish pace of criminal proceedings and its impact on victims and witnesses, including the risk of re-traumatization, as well as the broader failure to adequately support or compensate victims of crime.”

Conducted in collaboration with partners from the Witness Support Departments at the Court of BiH and the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina, from March 2023 to March 2024, the assessment methodology included questionnaires distributed to judges, prosecutors, and witness support practitioners in 30 judicial institutions in BiH, along with interviews conducted with focus groups comprising victims and witnesses involved in criminal proceedings.

Alma Taso Deljkovic, Head of the Witness Support Departments at the Court of BiH, emphasized that the assessment focused on evaluating the effectiveness of existing witness support mechanisms and identifying areas for improvement. “The results underscore the necessity to establish an institutional coordination mechanism to support witnesses in BiH courts and prosecutor's offices, with the goal of providing comprehensive and well-organized assistance throughout criminal proceedings. This entails ensuring high-quality psychological and administrative support for witnesses and victims at every stage, from preparation for testimony to ongoing assistance after the conclusion of court proceedings,” Taso Deljkovic concluded.

By this conference, the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina marked the successful completion of the 10-year-long EU-funded War Crimes Monitoring Project, which provided an ongoing assessment of progress in processing war crimes cases throughout BiH, and implemented dozens of targeted skills and education events for judges, prosecutors, investigators, and witness support officers involved in war crimes cases.

The Mission will continue to support judicial actors across BiH in their efforts to uphold the rule of law while protecting the fundamental human rights and dignity of all victims and witnesses.