Building capacities of criminal justice actors in Bosnia and Herzegovina to combat trafficking in human beings through victim-centred approaches

Bosnia and Herzegovina prosecutors and other criminal justice professionals concluded the XVII Annual Prosecutorial Symposium, convened from 1 to 4 September in Neum. The Symposium serves as a platform for training, debating criminal justice issues, and the exchange of best practices.

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration, the Council of Europe, International Forum of Solidarity-Emmaus, and the EU4FAST project (EU Support to Strengthen the Fight against Migrant Smuggling and Trafficking in Human Beings in the Western Balkans), organised a series of panel discussions focused on trafficking in human beings (THB). These sessions addressed the challenges in detecting, investigating, and prosecuting THB cases in BiH, particularly those involving digital evidence.

Key topics included referral mechanisms, victims' access to justice, accommodation procedures, and safe house operations. Additionally, participants discussed victim-centred and trauma informed approaches as well as the issue of victims' consent, particularly in cyber-related human trafficking cases, such as scam factories.

The sessions provided prosecutors and experts with the opportunity to explore practical solutions, contribute to capacity building, and address relevant challenges. Boris Topić, National Anti-Trafficking Officer at the OSCE Mission to BiH, highlighted the obstacles related the issue of victims' “consent” to exploitation in the effective prosecution of THB cases. “Despite the fact that consent to exploitation is not legally valid, it remains a significant obstacle in prosecuting human trafficking cases. Relying on familiar forms of exploitation, such as sexual and labour exploitation, participants discussed strategies to overcome consent-related challenges, particularly in cases of trafficking linked to cyber fraud,” Topić concluded.

Ahmed Mešić, Head of the Department for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and Illegal Migration at the Prosecutor's Office of BiH said: “Emerging challenges related to IT-facilitated trafficking pose significant difficulties in collecting digital evidence. This event played a crucial role in helping prosecutors and other professionals overcome these challenges, providing them with the necessary tools and knowledge to effectively address the complexities involved in such cases.”

By organizing a panel on combating THB as part of the Annual Prosecutorial Symposium, the OSCE Mission to BiH confirms its dedication to strengthening the role of criminal justice professionals in safeguarding the human rights of all victims.