Bosnia: Landmark decision for a survivor of sexual violence

For the first time in history, the United Nations Committee against Torture (CAT) has condemned the Bosnian authorities for failing to fulfil their obligations toward a survivor of sexual violence. The UN body called on Bosnia and Herzegovina to pay the compensation requested by the victim, to issue an official apology, and to ensure that she receives immediate and free medical and psychological care.

Adrijana Hanušić Bećirović, Senior Legal Advisor in Sarajevo for SRT grantee, TRIAL International, commented “This decision is hugely important, and not only at the domestic level. It is the first decision by the CAT relating to a victim of conflict-related sexual violence, and the first to examine the applicability of the statute of limitations on compensation claims in torture cases.”

More information on this landmark decision can be found on TRIAL International’s website: https://trialinternational.org/latest-post/bosnia-landmark-decision-for-a-survivor-of-sexual-violence/