(Criminal Defense Section)
Our Role Over Time: Establishment and Transition
The Criminal Defense Section (OKO) was established in 2005 as a unique institution within the Registry Office for War Crimes of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a clear mandate to provide support to defense teams in war crimes cases.
As part of the transition process to domestic institutions, the Criminal Defense Section has operated as an integral part of the Ministry of Justice of Bosnia and Herzegovina since 1 July 2009.
The Rulebook on Amendments to the Internal Organization of the Ministry of Justice of BiH from 2015 established the Sector for Criminal Assistance and Education in Criminal Matters before the Court of BiH. Within this sector, in addition to the Criminal Defense Section, the Education Section in Criminal Matters before the Court of BiH was also established, with the exclusive aim of strengthening the professional development and continuous training of defense counsel.
These two sections together form a unified functional unit that provides specialized legal and technical support to defense attorneys before the special departments of the Court of BiH:
Department I – War Crimes,
Department II – Organized Crime, Economic Crime, and Corruption,
Department III – General Crime.
Through institutional transformation and integration into the civil service system, support for defense before the Court of BiH has become stable and sustainable, with full backing from the Ministry of Justice of BiH to ensure the principle of equality of arms in criminal proceedings.
Relevant Regulations
Rules of Procedure of the Court of BiH, Official Gazette of BiH, No. 38/20, adopted at the General Session of the Court of BiH held on 16 June 2020.
Law on the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Official Gazette of BiH, Nos. 49/09, 74/09, and 97/09.