Statement by the United Nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The United Nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina expresses concern over the adoption of the Law on the Special Register and Publicity of the Work of Non-Profit Organizations, receiving financial or other support from foreign sources, by the National Assembly of Republika Srpska. The restrictions introduced by this law are not in line with Bosnia and Herzegovina’s international human rights obligations and undermine the independence, autonomy, and work of civil society organizations, and as well as the right to freedom of expression.

Effectively the same law was withdrawn from the legislative procedure last year following numerous criticisms, including by the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, during his visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina in April 2024.

The right to freedom of association not only includes the ability to establish and join an association but also the right to seek, receive, and use resources—human, material, and financial—from domestic and international sources.

We call on political leaders to uphold their international commitments and take measures to protect the work of diverse and inclusive civil society organizations, as well as independent media, human rights defenders, and the judiciary, which are essential for a democratic and open society.