Statute of Limitations and Court-Appointed Attorneys: Calls for New Legal Solutions
The results of CIN’s research on statute of limitations in criminal proceedings and court-appointed attorneys in BiH were presented at the Roundtable on ‘Public Trust and Judicial Efficiency”.
Watch the documentary „Where is Sara?“
The Center for Investigative Reporting presents a documentary film about the missing baby Sara from Banja Luka.
Convicts Freed, Judges Rebuked
From 2018 to 2024, eighteen judges have been penalized due to negligence in their work, which led to the statute of limitations on the enforcement of judgments and the conduct of criminal proceedings in a total of 27 cases. They received warnings and fines of around BAM 20,000.
Statute Of Limitations Archives Justice In BiH
In courts in Bosnia and Herzegovina, between 230 and 340 criminal cases become time-barred each year due to the expiration of the legally set deadline for the completion of court proceedings and enforcement of the verdict. In these instances, it is unclear whether the accused are truly guilty or whether the convicted have served their sentence.
BAM 167.1 Million Spent on Ex Officio Defense
In CIN’s database “Earnings of Court-Appointed Attorneys”, there are detailed records of BAM 167.1 million that the courts in Bosnia and Herzegovina allocated for court-appointed defenses over 17 years.
Millionaires Among Court-Appointed Attorneys
Over the course of six years, courts in Bosnia and Herzegovina have paid out BAM 58.8 million for compensations to court-appointed attorneys. Nearly BAM 10 million were paid to ten attorneys, although more than 1,440 were engaged in ex officio defenses.
Neum: Properties Belonging to Everyone and No One
Nineteen apartment buyers at the Feroelektro Resort located on the Adriatic coast in Neum, have been adversely affected by institutional failures in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The properties, initially earmarked for transfer to the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, were sold to buyers by the Čapljina court for a sum exceeding three million BAM, while the Municipality of Neum has thrown a wrench into the process by refusing to allow these buyers to officially register as property owners.
Court Blocks Another Property in Case Against Suspect Ibrahim Hadžibajrić
A property in the center of Sarajevo has been seized upon the request of the Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office of the Sarajevo Canton, following the expansion of the investigation against former municipal mayor Ibrahim Hadžibajrić.
19 Judges and Prosecutors Faced Disciplinary Actions In Past Year
The Disciplinary Commissions of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC) have penalized judges and prosecutors with salary reductions and public reprimands for delays and negligence in their work, behaviour damaging to the reputation of their offices, providing inaccurate data in financial forms and public spaces, as well as failure to report fees.