At a two-day training session in Sarajevo, held on 21-22 May, 20 attorneys from Bosnia and Herzegovina enhanced their understanding of the practical application of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) in their everyday professional work.

Guided by Council of Europe experts in constitutional law and the case law of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, lawyers took part in a series of thematic and practical sessions aimed at deepening their knowledge of the key principles of the ECHR, as well as the rules and procedures of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Particular attention was given to the admissibility criteria for submitting cases to the Constitutional Court – who can lodge an appeal, applicable deadlines, and the conditions that must be met for an appeal to be considered.

Participants highlighted the vital importance of this and similar initiatives in strengthening the capacities of the domestic judiciary. With a sound understanding of the provisions and application of the ECHR, legal professionals in Bosnia and Herzegovina are better equipped to address practical challenges and ensure more effective protection of human rights through existing judicial mechanisms.

The consistent and coherent application of the Convention within the domestic legal system is essential to strengthening the role of national institutions in safeguarding human rights, in line with European standards.

The training session was 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.