The Criminal Defense Section (OKO) represents an organizational unit of the Sector for Criminal Assistance and Education in Criminal Matters before the Court of BiH within the Ministry of Justice of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a unique role in the field of international criminal law aimed at ensuring the highest standards of defense in criminal proceedings before the Court of BiH.
To uphold the principle of equality of arms, the Law on the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina recognizes the Criminal Defense Section of the Ministry of Justice of BiH as the body responsible for providing support to the defense and defense counsel in criminal proceedings before the Court of BiH, particularly regarding the following tasks:
Establishing and maintaining a list of attorneys authorized to represent clients before Departments I, II, and III of the Court of BiH, and providing the Court of BiH with a monthly updated version of this list;
Providing legal and technical support to the defense of suspects or accused persons under investigation or charged with offenses within the jurisdiction of Departments I and II of the Court of BiH.