A new round of initial human rights training for newly appointed judges and prosecutors in Bosnia and Herzegovina, organised in cooperation with the Centres for Training of Judges and Prosecutors of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska, was successfully completed today in Sarajevo.

More than 50 newly appointed judicial professionals participated in four human rights sessions between April and June 2025. They acquired essential knowledge about the practical application of the standards and principles enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights in their day-to-day work. Through a combination of theoretical and practical sessions, participants explored key principles for interpreting the Convention, the case law of the European Court of Human Rights, and best practices for drafting and substantiating judicial decisions.

The training also addressed issues such as the impact of new technologies, tackling stereotypes and prejudice, protection from violence — particularly digital violence against women and girls — as well as data protection and privacy rights.

All modules were delivered in accordance with the specialised Human Rights Training Curriculum for initial and continuous training, developed by the Council of Europe. Participant evaluations were also conducted in line with the tailored methodology integrated into the Curriculum by the Council of Europe.

This specialised training for judicial professionals on the standards and application of the European Convention on Human Rights contributes to enhancing the capacity of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian judiciary to apply human rights standards coherently, particularly in the face of contemporary legal and technological challenges. A robust judiciary capable of effectively safeguarding human rights standards is crucial to the wellbeing of all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The training sessions for judges and prosecutors are carried out as part of the Council of Europe project Support to a coherent national implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights and facilitating the execution of judgements of the European Court of Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The project is funded through the Action plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina for the period 2022-2025.