Bosnia and Herzegovina: UN mission concerned at light penalties for human traffickers

The United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH) today said it remains concerned at the high level of judicial ineffectiveness in dealing with cases of human trafficking in that country.

According to the Mission, a Bosnian district court last week found three individuals guilty of having trafficked three women, but sentenced them only to suspended prison terms of one to one-and-a-half years.

"This mild sentencing is appalling and an insult to the women who had become victims of severe human rights violations," said Kirsten Haupt, UNMIBH spokesperson. "Such inconsequential sentencing is belittling the efforts of the police and other institutions in their fight against the hideous crime of human trafficking."

UNMIBH noted there were some signs of progress in the fight against human trafficking. In the first six months of this year, there have been eight cases successfully prosecuted, double the figure for all of 2001. Since June, there have been another 10 cases where traffickers have been successfully tried and sentenced.