Local Justice – Travnik: Humanization of Witnesses’ Position

The Memorandum was signed by Zoran Lukovic, Minister of Justice and Administration of Central Bosnia Canton, Katica Jozak-Madjar, President of the Cantonal Court in Novi Travnik, Sonja Hodzic, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Cantonal Prosecution in Travnik and Thomas Osorio, Rule of Law Advisor with the UN Resident Co-Ordinator’s Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The project titled “Building Capacities of Cantonal and District Prosecutions and Courts for War Crimes Processing in Bosnia and Herzegovina” is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP in collaboration with the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina, HJPC of BiH with financial support from the Government of the United States of America, USA. Lukovic said that the Central Bosnia Cantonal Government recognised the importance of this project, adding that it planned to increase the number of staff members and ensure an adequate material and technical support. “This is one of the most importance projects implemented in the reformed judicial system, because the society, community and judicial authorities will benefit from more efficient and quality processing of crimes before courts, while, on the other hand, an individual, who may appear as witness or victim, will have a fair treatment in court,” Jozak-Madjar said, adding that the establishment of an office for support to witnesses will enable witnesses to be treated with dignity. Hodzic pointed out that the establishment of a witness support section was of extreme importance to the Travnik Cantonal Prosecution as well. “During the proceedings we conduct, witnesses and their statements are of extreme importance. In addition to material evidence, witnesses’ statements are the basis for our decisions. This Memorandum will make it possible to humanise the position of witnesses and offer them psychological, physical, social and economic support,” Prosecutor Hodzic said. Witness protection sections have already been opened with cantonal and district courts and prosecutions in Sarajevo, Banja Luka and Eastern Sarajevo.

K.K.