VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHVJ #0198/01 0571541
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 261541Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1475
INFO RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC

UNCLAS SARAJEVO 000198 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
G/TIP FOR DONNELLY; G FOR PENA; EUR/SCE FOR FOOKS, JUKIC, 
BRYANT; EUR/PGI FOR BUCKNEBERG 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KTIP KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG KFRD ASEC PREF ELAB
KMCA, BK 
SUBJECT: BOSNIA - SUBMISSION FOR THE 2010 TIP REPORT 
 
REF: STATE 2094 
 
¶1. (U) Summary:  This cable constitutes Post's submission for 
the 2010 TIP report for Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).  Post's 
point of contact for trafficking issues is Poloff Patrick 
Hanish, tel:  387-33-445-700 x2312, fax:  387-33-659-722, 
e-mail: HanishPN@state.gov.  Time spent preparing the report: 
Polcouns (FS-01): 3 hours; Poloff (FS-02): 40 hours; Pol FSN 
(FSN-08) 30 hours.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Paragraph 25: 
 
THE COUNTRY'S TIP SITUATION: 
---------------------------- 
 
-- A. What is (are) the source(s) of available information on 
human trafficking?  What plans are in place (if any) to 
undertake further documentation of human trafficking?  How 
reliable are these sources? 
 
The State Coordinator oversees the government's TIP database, 
which compiles information from NGOs, the State Investigative 
and Protection Agency (SIPA), the State Border Police (SBP), 
local, entity- and state-level police agencies, and 
prosecutors' offices.  Individual NGOs, including NGOs which 
operate shelters, are also useful sources of information on 
trafficking and related societal dynamics.  Generally, post 
assesses official sources to be reliable on providing 
information on arrests, prosecutions, convictions, and 
assistance to victims.  NGOs are often reliable in 
information on victim history and status, as well as 
continuing problemq of TIP-related advocacy work.  OSCE has 
undertaken, in cooperation with an NGO, a study of victim 
patterns, and the State Coordinator's office (within the 
Ministry of Security) and Ministry of Human Rights and 
Refugees have undertaken investigations into 
trafficking/child pornography issues and child begging 
issues.  Specific initiatives on both these issues, as well 
as addressing of root causes within the Roma community 
related to child begging, continued during the reporting 
period, and will be discussed below. 
 
For discussion of the National Action Plan, see item 27.A. 
below. 
 
-- B. Is the country a country of origin, transit, and/or 
destination for men, women, or children subjected to 
conditions of commercial sexual exploitation, forced or 
bonded labor, or other slave-like conditions?  Are citizens 
or residents of the country subjected to such trafficking 
conditions within the country?  If so, does this internal 
trafficking occur in territory outside of the government's 
control (e.g. in a civil war situation)?  From where are 
people recruited or from where do they migrate prior to being 
subjected to these exploitative conditions?  To what other 
countries are people trafficked and for what purposes? 
Provide, where possible, numbers or estimates for each group 
of trafficking victims.  Have there been any changes in the 
TIP situation since the last TIP Report (e.g. changes in 
destinations)? 
 
The country was primarily a country of origin for women and 
girls trafficked domestically for sexual exploitation, and, 
to a much lesser extent, a destination and transit point for 
foreign trafficking. To date, there have been no registered 
cases of males trafficked for sexual exploitation, although 
there are reports that Romani children, including boys, have 
been trafficked for forced labor to serve in begging rings. 
During the reporting period, one case of males being 
recruited for labor and subjected to coercive conditions in 
another country was reported. 
 
Of the trafficking victims documented during the reporting 
period, eight out of 46 total victims (or 17 percent) were 
minors, a decrease from past years where typically half of 
all victims were underage.  Authorities observed a continuing 
trend of victims primarily being trafficked domestically 
during the year, far surpassing the number of foreign 
victims.  During the reporting period, the Office of the 
State Anti-trafficking Coordinator registered 46 total 
trafficking victims, all of whom were female.  An additional 
nine potential victims from Bosnia were reported to SIPA in 
connection to the "SerbAz" case (discussed below), but this 
report had not yet been received or confirmed by the State 
Coordinator's Office at the time of reporting (though the 
State Coordinator is aware of the case).  Of the 46 total 
reported victims, 42 were domestic trafficking victims, 
consistent with a trend over the last several years of 
domestic victims being the vast majority of cases.  The 
remaining four victims were foreigners. 
 
Roma community representatives report instances of domestic 
trafficking for forcible marriage. Roma community 
representatives also report instances of attempted 
recruitment of Roma girls by non-Roma individuals, believed 
linked to organized crime (ostensibly to be "au pairs" in 
Western Europe). 
 
Although there are no reliable estimates, women may have been 
trafficked on to Western Europe. All four foreign victims 
identified in Bosnia were citizens of Serbia. 
 
The main source on the number of trafficking victims assisted 
during the reporting period was the Ministry of Security's 
Office of the State Coordinator. The State Coordinator 
oversees the government's TIP database which compiles 
information from NGOs, the State Border Police (SBP), local, 
entity and state-level police agencies and prosecutors 
offices.  Post consulted with OSCE, and domestic 
anti-trafficking NGOs listed below, in confirming that the 
State Coordinator's Office provided figures that reflected 
the scope of the problem as understood by other concerned 
organizations. 
 
-- C. To what kind of conditions are the trafficking victims 
subjected? 
 
According to non-governmental organizations that work on 
combating trafficking in persons, the few foreign victims 
found in Bosnia were lured by false job offers, offers of 
pre-arranged marriage, or promises of transit to Western 
Europe for the same.  Some NGOs reported that trafficking 
victims were lured into the country by promises of marriage 
to traffickers or their associates.  Most trafficked women 
entered the country through Serbia or Montenegro. 
Historically, many foreign victims have arrived in BiH via 
legal border crossings with Serbia or Montenegro and carry 
real or false identity cards or passports.  Passports are not 
required for BiH citizens to enter Serbia, Montenegro or 
Croatia (and vice versa for citizens of those countries). 
 
In response to successful police actions against such 
establishments, the criminal modality linked to sexual 
exploitation within BiH has shifted from "night bars" and 
restaurants, cafes and gas stations to private apartments and 
houses.  Traffickers are increasingly sending women on calls 
or bringing would-be clients to safe-houses.  The use of 
intermediaries, including taxi drivers, bar operators, cafe 
patrons or others to tip-off or bring clients to a location 
where victims are held was a frequently-used tactic. 
 
-- D. Vulnerability to TIP: Are certain groups of persons 
more at risk of human trafficking (e.g. women and children, 
boys versus girls, certain ethnic groups, refugees, IDPs, 
etc.)?  If so, please specify the type of exploitation for 
which these groups are most at risk (e.g., girls are more at 
risk of domestic servitude than boys). 
 
Trafficking largely occurs within the country's borders, 
especially with domestic victims.  The most common domestic 
age group recruited for sexual exploitation is women between 
18 and 25 years old, although there were also a number of 
underage victims.  Domestic victims often include:  Roma 
women and teenage girls; persons with mild developmental 
disabilities; orphans; persons from war-torn or single-parent 
households.  For domestic victims, poverty was frequently a 
contributing factor. 
 
-- E. Traffickers and Their Methods: Who are the 
traffickers/exploiters?  Are they independent business 
people?  Small or family-based crime groups?  Large 
international organized crime syndicates?  What methods are 
used to gain direct access to victims?  For example, are the 
traffickers recruiting victims through lucrative job offers? 
Are victims sold by their families, or approached by friends 
of friends?  Are victims "self-presenting" (approaching the 
exploiter without the involvement of a recruiter or 
transporter)? If recruitment or transportation is involved, 
what methods are used to recruit or transport victims (e.g., 
are false documents being used)?  Are employment, travel, and 
tourism agencies or marriage brokers involved with or 
fronting for traffickers or crime groups to traffic 
individuals? 
 
Traffickers in BiH are generally part of small, local 
criminal organizations, often operating on a local or 
regional level in-country.  Those few that engage in 
cross-border trafficking are understood to be loosely 
affiliated with similar organizations in other countries, 
especially in neighboring Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro. 
Large international organized crime syndicates are not known 
to be involved in trafficking in BiH.  There were no specific 
reports of employment, travel or tourism agencies having 
involvement in trafficking.  There were rumors, however, that 
minor girls, especially within the Romani community, were 
unwillingly trafficked by family members or others into 
arranged marriages. 
 
Recruitment methods vary, but include job offers in Western 
Europe, false marriages to traffickers' associates to obtain 
residency permits and jobs, and girls being sold by their 
parents.  Traffickers also attract customers via classified 
ads in publications.  There were also reports of forcibly 
"recruiting" females, especially minors, into trafficking 
through the threat of physical violence to the victim or the 
victim's family.  Because of high unemployment rates, there 
were anecdotal reports of employers targeting women working 
in unregistered jobs, forcing them to perform sexual acts at 
the risk of losing their jobs. 
 
Victims are usually kept in private apartments, motels, gas 
stations, or driven to a location where they are forced to 
provide sexual services to pre-arranged clients.  There have 
been reports of victims working in conditions akin to 
slavery, with little or no financial support. In some cases, 
traffickers paid victims some wages so that they could send 
money home to their families.  Traffickers coerced victims to 
remain in these situations through intimidation, verbal 
threats, seizure of passports, withholding of food and 
medical care, and physical and sexual assault. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Paragraph 26: 
 
SETTING THE SCENE FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S ANTI-TIP EFFORTS 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
-- A. Does the government acknowledge that trafficking is a 
problem in the country?  If not, why not? 
 
The government acknowledges that TIP is a problem and makes 
significant efforts to combat TIP in BiH.  The government 
continued efforts during the reporting period to remedy 
identified problems, particularly those raised in our TIP 
action plan recommendations. 
 
-- B. Which government agencies are involved in efforts to 
combat sex and labor trafficking - including forced labor - 
and, which agency, if any, has the lead in these efforts? 
 
The Office of the State Coordinator for Anti-trafficking 
within the Ministry of Security (MOS) has the lead role in 
the Bosnian government's anti-TIP efforts.  The State 
Coordinator's mandate includes coordination of victim 
protection efforts among NGOs, law enforcement and government 
institutions. The BiH State Prosecutors Office has exclusive 
jurisdiction over trafficking cases under state-level law, 
and can decide which cases to prosecute at the state-level 
and which to send to the entity-level.  A nationwide 
interagency investigative task force to combat trafficking, 
the Anti-trafficking Strike Force, was chaired by the chief 
state prosecutor and included prosecutors, police, and 
financial investigators who targeted trafficking and illegal 
migration.  The following government agencies are also 
involved in the Inter-Ministerial Working Group to Combat 
Trafficking: at the state-level, the Ministry of Human Rights 
and Refugees, the State Border Police (SBP), the Ministry of 
Justice, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry 
of Security.  At the entity-level, the Ministries of Interior 
(MUPs), Ministries of Health, Ministries of Labor and Social 
Welfare and Ministries of Education contributed to 
anti-trafficking efforts.  Prosecutors at the state, entity 
and local levels are also involved. 
 
-- C. What are the limitations on the government's ability to 
address this problem in practice?  For example, is funding 
for police or other institutions inadequate?  Is overall 
corruption a problem?  Does the government lack the resources 
to aid victims? 
 
The government's ability to address TIP is limited in 
practice due to limited financial resources and the 
complexity of Bosnia's political structure.  In 2009, the 
State Coordinator's office dispersed a total of 360,000 KM 
(about $257,000) to combat trafficking in persons. Of this 
amount, the Ministry of Security provided 100,000 KM 
($71,400) for assistance to foreign victims of trafficking 
(including repatriation assistance) in 2009, and again 
budgeted 100,000 KM ($71,400) for 2010.  The International 
Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Government of Norway 
jointly provided 130,000 euros (about $186,000) to support 
trafficking victims, through the Ministry of Security, in 
¶2009.  The amount of assistance to domestic victims of 
trafficking, distributed by the Ministry of Human Rights and 
Refugees, was 45,000 KM ($32,000) for 2009, and is budgeted 
for 65,000 KM ($45,700) for 2010. 
 
Corruption in BiH, as related to funding for TIP, has not 
been assessed to be a problem.  In 2008, the budget of the 
State Coordinator's Office was incorporated into the Ministry 
of Security budget as a separate line item.  Funds are 
transparently allotted as a line item of the Ministries of 
Security and Human Rights and Refugees.  NGOs who are 
eligible recipients of funding meet regularly with ministry 
staff, apply for funding based on number of victims assisted, 
and independently confirm to us receipt of funds. 
 
The greatest limitation placed on the government of BiH's 
fight against trafficking is the continuing stalemate among 
political leaders, ethnic divides, and cumbersome 
administrative structure imposed by the Dayton constitution. 
The opportunity for legislative stonewalling and tit-for-tat 
political games impedes work in trafficking, along with 
virtually all other areas of government activity.  Lack of 
cooperation among geographically- and ethnically-divided law 
enforcement and prosecutorial agencies often severely 
complicates national-level solutions to trafficking problems. 
 
-- D. To what extent does the government systematically 
monitor its anti-trafficking efforts (on all fronts -- 
prosecution, victim protection, and prevention) and 
periodically make available, publicly or privately and 
directly or through regional/international organizations, its 
assessments of these anti-trafficking efforts? 
 
The government monitors anti-trafficking efforts in a number 
of ways. The Anti-trafficking Strike Force, which meets two 
times per month and includes police and prosecutors from all 
agencies and entities, as well as representatives of USDOJ's 
Overseas Prosecutorial Development and Assistance Training 
(OPDAT) program,  monitors the progress of TIP investigations 
and prosecutions and reports to the State Coordinator.  There 
is also a working group with NGO and international community 
representatives, chaired by the State Coordinator, which 
assesses prevention and protection issues.  There are also a 
number of thematic working groups on specific areas of 
concern, including trafficking of children.  The State 
Coordinator also publishes (in print and electronic versions) 
its Annual Report on trafficking, which includes data 
gathered from prosecutors, NGOs and police agencies 
throughout BiH. 
 
-- E. What measures has the government taken to establish the 
identity of local populations, including birth registration, 
citizenship, and nationality? 
 
During the reporting period, the Ministry of Security 
undertook a project in cooperation with UNHCR to promote 
registration of Bosnia's Roma population in civil registries. 
 Such registration makes accessing social benefits 
considerably easier.  During the reporting period, the 
Ministry of Security estimated 7,000 out of 8,000 
unregistered Roma were registered. 
 
Other projects which encourage Roma integration and 
empowerment were undertaken as a result of Bosnia's accession 
to the EU-sponsored "Decade of Roma Inclusion."  The 
state-level Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees, in 
cooperation with local Roma NGOs, spent 3,000,000 KM (about 
$2,143,000) on programs focused on Roma housing, education, 
employment, and health care, and social inclusion, which are 
prime "root cause" areas of concern to anti-TIP effort. 
 
--F. To what extent is the government capable of gathering 
the data required for an in-depth assessment of law 
enforcement efforts?  Where are the gaps?  Are there any ways 
to work around these gaps? 
 
The Anti-Trafficking Strike Force coordinates collection of 
TIP-related data from law enforcement agencies, and the State 
Coordinator's Office is charged with maintaining and 
verifying this data.  While this data has been found to be 
reliable, the lack of a census being held in Bosnia since 
1991 impairs efforts to better analyze trafficking and many 
other social problems in an effective way.  The political 
impasse on the carrying out of such a census was the result 
of basic disagreements about identity and the way in which 
refugee/returnee issues should be handled in Bosnia.  In the 
absence of such a census, population estimates based on 
voting registration and results, identity card issuance, as 
well as unofficial estimates, are relied upon. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Paragraph 27: 
 
INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF TRAFFICKERS 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
For questions A-D, posts should highlight in particular 
whether or not the country has enacted any new legislation 
since the last TIP report. 
 
-- A. Existing Laws against TIP: Does the country have a law 
or laws specifically prohibiting trafficking in persons -- 
both for sexual exploitation and labor?  If so, please 
specifically cite the name of the law(s) and its date of 
enactment and provide the exact language (actual copies 
preferable) of the TIP provisions.  Please provide a full 
inventory of trafficking laws, including non-criminal 
statutes that allow for civil penalties against alleged 
trafficking crimes (e.g., civil forfeiture laws and laws 
against illegal debt). Does the law(s) cover both internal 
and transnational forms of trafficking?  If not, under what 
other laws can traffickers be prosecuted?  For example, are 
there laws against slavery or the exploitation of 
prostitution by means of force, fraud, or coercion?  Are 
these other laws being used in trafficking cases? 
 
Article 186 of the BiH Criminal Code prohibits trafficking 
for sexual exploitation, forced labor and organ 
transplantation. Article 186 covers the "recruitment, 
transfer, harboring or receipt" of trafficked persons, making 
it applicable to both transnational and internal trafficking. 
 Article 187 of the BiH Criminal Code prohibits international 
procurement for prostitution, and provides prosecutors with 
another option in pursuing international traffickers. 
Articles 186 and 187 of the Criminal Code are harmonized with 
the Palermo Protocol.  If the evidence is not sufficient to 
support prosecution under Articles 186 and 187, traffickers 
may also be prosecuted at the state level for slavery 
(Article 185, which also prohibits selling children for 
adoption), unlawful withholding of identity papers (Article 
188) and alien smuggling (Article 189).  The Federation, RS, 
and Brcko District Criminal Codes also prohibit trafficking 
and related crimes.  Pimping is a major crime (equivalent to 
a felony) under both state-and entity level criminal codes, 
and carries a penalty ranging from 1-5 years if the victim is 
an adult, and 3-15 years if the victim is a minor.  A number 
of traffickers have been prosecuted for pimping and pandering 
where the evidence was not sufficient to support an 
indictment for trafficking.  Taken together, these laws 
adequately cover the full scope of trafficking in persons. 
 
During the reporting period, amendments to the criminal code 
of BiH resulted in significant strengthening or Article 186, 
setting a minimum three year sentence for trafficking, 
providing for harsher punishment for officials involved in 
trafficking (five years minimum sentence), providing 
specifically for punishment for those who make use of the 
services of victims of human trafficking, and clarifying 
previously-confusing language related to the word "child" 
(now simply referring to any victim under the age of 18). 
 
In addition to criminal penalties, some NGOs are assisting 
victims in filing civil compensation claims for medical 
bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, etc.  BiH's criminal 
asset forfeiture law requires proof that all items being 
seized were acquired with the proceeds of illegal activity. 
Through the U.S. Marshals, OPDAT is providing training to BiH 
prosecutors on asset forfeiture, which will hopefully lead to 
increased seizures in coming years.  Previously, asset 
forfeiture had rarely been carried out.  During the reporting 
period, there was one landmark case of seizure of assets 
connected to a trafficking case, that of Tasim Kucevic (see 
para 27. B. below). 
 
Misunderstandings are common because of the existence of four 
different penal codes, with the state, Federation, RS and 
Brcko District maintaining distinct criminal statutes. 
 
In 2007, the Council of Europe Convention on Action Against 
Trafficking in Persons entered into force, the first European 
agreement in this area.  This Convention, to which BiH is a 
signatory, focuses on protection of trafficking victims and 
their rights.  At the proposal of the State Coordinator's 
Office, the Council of Ministers adopted in July, 2007 the 
Rules on Protection of Victims and Witnesses of Human 
Trafficking who are Citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The 
Rules were adopted as a binding standard of protection of 
human rights for BiH victims and victim witnesses of human 
trafficking and establish principles and common operational 
standards relating to identification procedures, protection 
and assistance, primary and secondary prevention and other 
activities benefiting the protection and assistance of 
victims and witnesses of TIP from Bosnia and Herzegovina.  A 
new Action Plan to Combat Trafficking was adopted in early 
2008 by the BiH Council of Ministers (see para 29. D. below). 
 
-- B. Punishment of Sex Trafficking Offenses:  What are the 
prescribed and imposed penalties for trafficking of persons 
for commercial sexual exploitation, including for forced 
prostitution of adults and the prostitution of children? 
 
The maximum penalty for any trafficking offense under Article 
186 of BiH State law is ten years' imprisonment; amendments 
to the criminal code adopted during the reporting period 
increased the minimum sentence for trafficking to three 
years' imprisonment.  Defendants may be sentenced to a total 
of 20 years if certain aggravating circumstances are present. 
 If the trafficker was involved in the sexual exploitation of 
a minor, the penalty carries a minimum of five years' 
imprisonment.  During the reporting period, the BiH 
prosecutor's office had 23 reports related to Article 186 (of 
which 15 reports were from 2008).  Seven investigations were 
launched in 2009, and seven were continued from 2008, for a 
total of 14 investigations.  No new indictments resulted from 
these investigations.  Three total verdicts were rendered in 
2009 (of which one case resulted in acquittal).  The two 
guilty verdicts include: 
 
One case of a ring of traffickers led by Tasim Kucevic led to 
a finally-confirmed sentence in 2009.  Ten persons were 
convicted of trafficking under Article 186, and received a 
variety of sentences:  Kucevic received 12 years' 
imprisonment and a fine of 20,000 KM ($14,286).  Meliha 
Pjevic received a sentence of six years' imprisonment and a 
fine of 10,000 KM ($7,143).  The property gained through 
their criminal acts in the amount of 286,440 KM ($204,600) 
was forfeited.  Enver Spahic was sentenced to four years' 
imprisonment.  Zoran Trbara was sentenced to three years, six 
months' imprisonment.  Admir Fazlic was sentenced to three 
years' imprisonment.  Mirza Dulovic was sentenced to four 
months' imprisonment.  Nedzad Dulovic was sentenced to six 
months' imprisonment.  Almir Sabic was sentenced to three 
months' imprisonment.  Mirsad Mujkic and Edzevit Gusinac were 
both sentenced to five months' imprisonment.  The scope and 
strength of this verdict represent a new chapter in the 
veracity of trafficking-related sentencing in the country. 
 
One other case involved Janjic Jelenko, an art teacher in 
Visegrad Secondary School, who was sentenced by the State 
Court to five years, imprisonment under Article 186, for 
sexual exploitation of a minor. 
 
Federation Courts apply Article 210 of the Federation 
Criminal Code law ("enticement to prostitution") in the 
prosecution of trafficking cases.  During the reporting 
period, the cantonal prosecutors' offices within the 
Federation received 11 reports related to Article 210.  There 
were an additional seven reports which were held over from 
2008 (for a total of 18 active cases).  In the reporting 
period, prosecutors investigated nine new cases, and 
continued an additional 12 investigations already open from 
the previous year.  As a result of investigations, seven 
cases resulted in indictment.  Verdicts were rendered for 14 
individuals.  Of those, two persons received suspended 
sentences (both of which were through plea bargains).  Nine 
persons were sentenced to prison (four persons received one 
to two years in prison, five persons received two to three 
years in prison).  One verdict was issued rejecting the 
charges, and two persons were acquitted.  In one case, 
proceedings were suspended. 
 
In Republika Srpska, trafficking in human beings for 
prostitution is a crime under Article 198 of the RS criminal 
code.  During 2009, the Prosecutor's Office of Republika 
Srpska received three criminal reports under Article 198, and 
an additional report was held over from the previous year. 
Of these, three cases were investigated, and an additional 
five cases were continuing investigation from the previous 
year, for a total of eight investigations which were ongoing 
in 2009.  All eight investigations had verdicts rendered 
during 2009:  one person was sentenced to less than a year in 
prison (as the result of plea bargaining); five persons 
received prison sentences (of which, one person received 1-2 
years on the basis of a plea bargain, and four persons 
received one year sentences); and 2 persons were acquitted. 
No suspended sentences were given during 2009. 
 
In the Brcko District, Article 207 of the Brcko District 
Criminal Code makes illegal "enticement to prostitution," 
similar to the law in the Federation.  During 2009, Brcko 
prosecutors received one report, for which there was an 
investigation opened.  The subject of the investigation is in 
administrative detention at the time of reporting, and the 
investigation remains ongoing. 
 
-- C. Punishment of Labor Trafficking Offenses:  What are the 
prescribed and imposed penalties for labor trafficking 
offenses, including all forms of forced labor?  If your 
country is a source country for labor migrants, do the 
government's laws provide for criminal punishment -- i.e. 
jail time -- for labor recruiters who engage in recruitment 
of workers using knowingly fraudulent or deceptive offers 
with the purpose of sub:cting workers to compelled service 
in the destination country?  If your country is a destination 
for labor migrants (legal/regular or illegal/irregular), are 
there laws punishing employers or labor agents who confiscate 
workers' passports or travel documents for the purpose of 
labor trafficking, switch contracts without the worker's 
consent as a means to keep the worker in a state of compelled 
service, or withhold payment of salaries as means of keeping 
the worker in a state of compelled service? 
 
Bosnian law does not differentiate between trafficking for 
sexual purposes and trafficking for labor.  Bosnia has not 
historically been a source or a destination country for 
forced or bonded labor. 
 
However, there was one known case of trafficking for labor 
exploitation which took place during the reporting period. 
Allegations of abusive, including coercive, labor conditions 
in a construction company in Azerbaijan involved laborers and 
managers recruited largely from the Gradiska area of 
Republika Srpska in Bosnia, resulted in hundreds of 
interviews by SIPA, and a number of cases forwarded to the 
State Prosecutor's Office prior to year's end.  The crimes 
alleged to have occurred within Bosnian jurisdiction relate 
to recruitment for trafficking, and, as stated above, include 
the potential of jail time, and are not differentiated from 
other forms of trafficking.  The case was under investigation 
at the time of reporting. 
 
-- D. What are the prescribed penalties for rape or forcible 
sexual assault? (NOTE:  This is necessary to evaluate a 
foreign government's compliance with TVPA Minimum Standard 2, 
which reads: "For the knowing commission of any act of sex 
trafficking . . . the government of the country should 
prescribe punishment commensurate with that for grave crimes, 
such as forcible sexual assault (rape)."  END NOTE.) 
 
The maximum penalty for rape is 20 years, with aggravating 
circumstance.  Rape penalties parallel the penalties for 
trafficking offenses in that to receive the maximum sentence, 
aggravating circumstances must be present. 
 
-- E. Law Enforcement Statistics: Did the government take 
legal action against human trafficking offenders during the 
reporting period?  If so, provide numbers of investigations, 
prosecutions, convictions, and sentences imposed, including 
details on plea bargains and fines, if relevant and 
available.  Please note the number of convicted traffickers 
who received suspended sentences and the number who received 
only a fine as punishment.  Please indicate which laws were 
used to investigate, prosecute, convict, and sentence 
traffickers.  Also, if possible, please disaggregate numbers 
of cases by type of TIP (labor vs. commercial sexual 
exploitation) and victims (children under 18 years of age vs. 
adults).  What were the actual punishments imposed on 
convicted trafficking offenders? Are they serving the time 
sentenced?  If not, why not? 
 
For information on imposed sentences and types of trafficking 
cases, please see items 27. A. and B. above. 
 
The BiH State Prosecutor's office has exclusive jurisdiction 
over trafficking cases and can decide which cases to 
prosecute at the state level and which to send to the entity 
courts.  The nationwide interagency investigative task force 
to combat trafficking, the Anti-trafficking Strike Force, was 
chaired by the chief state prosecutor and included 
prosecutors, police, and financial investigators and targeted 
trafficking and illegal migration.  BiH government plans call 
for SIPA (an institution formed in 2006) to take over the 
responsibilities of the Anti-trafficking Strike Force as its 
capacity to coordinate anti-trafficking work expands. 
 
The government provided the following case statistics through 
its TIP database, maintained by SIPA.  This database contains 
information contributed by all police agencies, NGOs and 
prosecutors.  TIP data is also harmonized and reported in the 
State Coordinator's annual report. The State Coordinator 
reported 46 registered TIP victims during 2009, although he 
noted that there are likely to be additional victims who do 
not come to the attention of the authorities. 
 
See para 27. B. above for a breakdown of investigations, 
prosecutions, and convictions in each of the four relevant 
jurisdictions within Bosnia. 
 
-- F. Does the government provide any specialized training 
for law enforcement and immigration officials on identifying 
and treating victims of trafficking?  Or training on 
investigating and prosecuting human trafficking crimes? 
Specify whether NGOs, international organizations, and/or the 
USG provide specialized training for host government 
officials. 
 
The government provides specialized training for government 
officials on recognition, investigation and prosecution of 
trafficking. During the reporting period, the State 
Coordinator's Office partnered with Caritas of Bosnia and 
Herzegovina and Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in a campaign 
to increase public awareness of trafficking in persons, 
specifically targeting young people seeking employment 
outside BiH.  Materials for the public awareness campaign 
were distributed to all diplomatic-consular missions and to 
all missions of international organizations in BiH (through 
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BiH), State Border Police 
offices, universities, shopping centers and primary and 
secondary schools. 
 
In 2007, The State Coordinator's Office partnered with Save 
the Children Norway and NGO Citizens Association Medica in a 
regional program to target at-risk children and improve the 
rights of child victims of trafficking. In cooperation with 
Save the Children Norway, the government developed a manual 
for police, prosecutors, social centers and health care 
institutions on preventing children from becoming victims of 
TIP.  The State Coordinator's Office also drafted 
standardized operating procedures for dealing with child 
victims in the "Standardized Practices of Different 
Professionals in Protection and Treatment of Children Victims 
of Trafficking and Victim Witnesses of Human Trafficking in 
BiH." 
 
Bosnian judicial centers provide basic training for all 
judges and prosecutors. During the course of their education, 
judges, prosecutors, and legal associates are taught the 
elements of trafficking and what should be proven. Law 
enforcement academies, in particular the BiH border police, 
educate cadets on how to recognize trafficking as a 
cross-border crime. 
 
-- G. Does the government cooperate with other governments in 
the investigation and prosecution of trafficking cases?  If 
possible, provide the number of cooperative international 
investigations on trafficking during the reporting period. 
 
BiH has active cooperation with other governments, especially 
the neighboring countries of Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro. 
BiH has signed bilateral agreements on cooperation in 
organized crimes cases (including trafficking in persons) 
with the State Prosecutor's Offices of Croatia, Serbia, 
Montenegro and Macedonia.  BiH has no binding bilateral 
agreements regarding witness protection, which makes it more 
difficult to participate effectively in international 
investigations.  However, in 2007 in partnership with the 
International Center for Migration Politics (ICMPD), the 
second phase of a Project to support the transnational 
referral mechanism for trafficking victims (TRMP) in 
southeastern Europe was launched.  Bosnia and Herzegovina 
became an ICMPD member in 2006.  The number of ongoing 
cooperative international investigations was not available 
during the reporting period, although there were four cases 
of TIP victims in Bosnia returned to their countries of 
origin using the ICMPD mechanism during 2009. 
 
Since its establishment, the State Prosecutor's Office of 
Bosnia and Herzegovina has continued to cooperate with 
prosecutors from other countries in the region fighting 
various types of crime, including trafficking in human beings. 
 
The contribution of the Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and 
Herzegovina to the development of cooperation at the 
international and regional level is specially reflected in 
the framework of the international Southeast European 
Prosecutors Advisory Group (SEEPAG), regional South East 
European Cooperative Initiative within the project of 
regional cooperation pursuant to the Memorandum on 
Cooperation of Prosecutors of Western Balkans within the 
CARDS program as well as European program on cooperation of 
Prosecutors (CPGE) and the network for cooperation of 
judiciary of European Union EUROJUST.  The BiH State 
Prosecutor's Office has signed a memorandum of understanding 
with all prosecutors, offices in the region (Albania, 
Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, and Montenegro) to cooperate 
closely in investigating and prosecuting perpetrators of 
organized crime, criminal groups and criminal associations. 
 
-- H. Does the government extradite persons who are charged 
with trafficking in other countries?  If so, please provide 
the number of traffickers extradited during the reporting 
period, and the number of trafficking extraditions pending. 
In particular, please report on any pending or concluded 
extraditions of trafficking offenders to the United States. 
 
Extradition of non-citizens is permitted, but there were no 
extraditions of traffickers during the reporting period, nor 
were any extraditions requested.  The BiH Criminal Procedure 
Code prohibits the extradition of Bosnian citizens.  However, 
the State Prosecutor can bring cases against Bosnian citizens 
for crimes committed outside Bosnian territory.  There are 
currently no efforts underway to modify laws to permit the 
extradition of Bosnian nationals.  However, at the end of the 
reporting period, Bosnian and Croatian Ministries of Justice 
~signed an agreement whereby dual nationals convicted of 
crimes in one state who flee to the other country can have 
cases transferred so that they serve their sentences in the 
country where they are physically present.  No cases had yet 
been transferred to or from Bosnia using this new mechanism 
at the time of reporting. 
 
-- I. Is there evidence of government involvement in or 
tolerance of trafficking, on a local or institutional level? 
If so, please explain in detail. 
 
There were no new cases of official involvement in 
trafficking during the reporting period. 
 
Both entities' police forces have Police Standards Units 
(PSUs), which are charged with investigating and disciplining 
officers for criminal offenses or dereliction of duty.  There 
were no prosecutions or convictions of government officials 
for involvement in trafficking during the reporting period. 
 
There continued to be anecdotal reports of police and other 
official involvement in trafficking, particularly at the 
local level. Victims' groups alleged that, because of strong 
local networks, local police often willfully ignored or 
actively protected consumers or perpetrators of trafficking 
activity, often accepting bribes in return. 
 
-- J. If government officials are involved in trafficking, 
what steps has the government taken to end such complicity? 
Please indicate the number of government officials 
investigated and prosecuted for involvement in trafficking or 
trafficking-related criminal activities during the reporting 
period.  Have any been convicted?  What sentence(s) was 
imposed?  Please specify if officials received suspended 
sentences, or were given a fine, fired, or reassigned to 
another position within the government as punishment.  Please 
indicate the number of convicted officials that received 
suspended sentences or received only a fine as punishment. 
 
To date there have been only a few documented cases of 
official involvement in trafficking, and no official 
indictments have been made. 
 
-- K. For countries that contribute troops to international 
peacekeeping efforts, please indicate whether the government 
vigorously investigated, prosecuted, convicted and sentenced 
nationals of the country deployed abroad as part of a 
peacekeepng or other similar mission who engaged in or 
faclitated severe forms of trafficking or who exploitd 
victims of such trafficking. 
 
Bosnia has les than a hundred troops employed abroad as part 
o a peacekeeping mission and there have been no reports of 
any member engaging in or facilitating trafficking in 
persons. However, during the reporting period, the State 
Ministry of Defense, in cooperation with the OSCE, maintained 
a training program for peacekeepers and their commanders, 
familiarizing them with ways to identify trafficking, 
responsibility to report trafficking, and relevant laws 
prohibiting trafficking. 
 
-- L. If the country has an identified problem of child sex 
tourists coming to the country, what are the countries of 
origin for sex tourists?  How many foreign pedophiles did the 
government prosecute or deport/extradite to their country of 
origin?  If your host country's nationals are perpetrators of 
child sex tourism, do the country's child sexual abuse laws 
have extraterritorial coverage (similar to the U.S. PROTECT 
Act) to allow the prosecution of suspected sex tourists for 
crimes committed abroad?  If so, how many of the country's 
nationals were prosecuted and/or convicted during the 
reporting period under the extraterritorial provision(s) for 
traveling to other countries to engage in child sex tourism? 
 
BiH does not have an identified child sex tourism problem, 
either as a source or destination country.  The country's 
child sex abuse laws do not have extraterritorial provisions 
similar to the U.S. PROTECT ACT. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Paragraph 28: 
 
PROTECTION AND ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS 
------------------------------------ 
 
-- A.  What kind of protection is the government able under 
existing law to provide for victims and witnesses? Does it 
provide these protections in practice? 
 
A person identified as a TIP victim through the government's 
screening and referral process is eligible for a humanitarian 
visa for a legal, temporary stay in BiH.  Prior to requesting 
such a visa, victims are permitted a 30-day "reflection 
period."  During the reporting period, six TIP victims 
requested residence permits on humanitarian grounds.  All six 
requests were approved. 
 
-- B.  Does the country have victim care facilities (shelters 
or drop-in centers) which are accessible to trafficking 
victims?  Do foreign victims have the same access to care as 
domestic trafficking victims?  Where are child victims placed 
(e.g., in shelters, foster care, or juvenile justice 
detention centers)?  Does the country have specialized care 
for adults in addition to children? Does the country have 
specialized care for male victims as well as female?   Does 
the country have specialized facilities dedicated to helping 
victims of trafficking? Are these facilities operated by the 
government or by NGOs?  What is the funding source of these 
facilities? Please estimate the amount the government spent 
(in U.S. dollar equivalent) on these specialized facilities 
dedicated to helping trafficking victims during he reporting 
period. 
 
The State Coordinator's ffice oversees shelter management 
and ensures tht NGOs meet agreed-upon standards in providing 
victim assistance.  The Ministry of Security, througha 
memorandum of understanding, delegates victim ssistance to 
six local NGOs that provide shelter, medical and 
psychological assistance to both domestic and foreign TIP 
victims throughout the country.  The six NGOs (La Strada, 
Medica Zenica, Forum of Solidarity, Lara, Zena s Une, and 
Zena BiH) run six shelters located in Mostar, Sarajevo, Banja 
Luka, Doboj, and Bijeljina.  The local NGO "Vasa Prava" has a 
memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Security and 
provides pro bono legal assistance to trafficking victims 
housed in NGO shelters immediately upon their placement in 
the shelter.  Health care is provided either at the shelters 
by visiting medical professionals or at local clinics and 
hospitals.  The State Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees 
has committed funds for re-integration and rehabilitation of 
victims, which NGOs may also apply for in relation to the 
total number of victims they assist. 
 
-- C.  Does the government provide trafficking victims with 
access to legal, medical and psychological services? If so, 
please specify the kind of assistance provided. Does the 
government provide funding or other forms of support to 
foreign or domestic NGOs and/or international organizations 
for providing these services to trafficking victims?  Please 
explain and provide any funding amounts in U.S. dollar 
equivalent.  If assistance provided was in-kind, please 
specify exact assistance.  Please specify if funding for 
assistance comes from a federal budget or from regional or 
local governments. 
 
The state-level government provides assistance to the six 
NGOs who run shelters to help subsidize the cost of shelter 
operations.  During the reporting period, the government 
disbursed approximately 100,000 KM ($71,429) for the State 
Coordinator's Office to support shelters providing victim 
assistance. 
 
Additionally, the government allocated approximately 45,000 
KM ($32,143) to the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees to 
support a reintegration and health care fund for domestic 
victims of trafficking. 
 
The government of BiH, through the State Anti-Trafficking 
Coordinator's Office, funded operation of a TIP hotline by 
the NGO La Strada.  The hotline, reachable through BiH via a 
"short dial" four-digit number, allows easy access by TIP 
victims to immediate assistance. 
 
See also response to item 28.B. 
 
-- D. Does the government assist foreign trafficking victims, 
for example, by providing temporary to permanent residency 
status, or other relief from deportation?  If so, please 
explain. 
 
A person identified as a TIP victim through the government's 
screening and referral process is eligible for a humanitarian 
visa for a legal, temporary stay in BiH.  During the 
reporting period, nine TIP victims requested residence 
permits on humanitarian grounds. Eight of these requests were 
approved and one was still under consideration at the end of 
the reporting period. 
 
-- E. Does the government provide longer-term shelter or 
housing benefits to victims or other resources to aid the 
victims in rebuilding their lives? 
 
Yes, there are six shelters located throughout BiH, operated 
by six NGOs, which receive funding from the Ministry of 
Security and the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees on a 
per-victim basis.  There is no established limit to the time 
a victim may spend in a shelter.  Post is aware of one victim 
remaining in a NGO-run shelter for more than five years.  See 
item 28.G. 
 
-- F. Does the government have a referral process to transfer 
victims detained, arrested or placed in protective custody by 
law enforcement authorities to institutions that provide 
short- or long-term care (either government or NGO-run)? 
 
Yes, and this referral mechanism is used in practice.  See 
item 28.G. 
 
-- G. What is the total number of trafficking victims 
identified during the reporting period?  (If available, 
please specify the type of exploitation of these victims - 
e.g. "The government identified X number of trafficking 
victims during the reporting period, Y or which were victims 
of trafficking for sexual exploitation and Z of which were 
victims of nonconsensual labor exploitation.)  Of these, how 
many victims were referred to care facilities for assistance 
by law enforcement authorities during the reporting period? 
By social services officials?  What is the number of victims 
assisted by government-funded assistance programs and those 
not funded by the government during the reporting period? 
 
The State Anti-Trafficking Coordinator's Office reports a 
total of 46 trafficking victims during the reporting period. 
During the reporting period, 18 victims received assistance 
in shelters.  All victims receiving assistance in shelters 
benefited from government funding.  All foreign victims were 
referred to shelters by the State Agency for Foreigners. 
 
-- H. Do the government's law enforcement, immigration, and 
social services personnel have a formal system of proactively 
identifying victims of trafficking among high-risk persons 
with whom they come in contact (e.g., foreign persons 
arrested for prostitution or immigration violations)?  For 
countries with legalized prostitution, does the government 
have a mechanism for screening for trafficking victims among 
persons involved in the legal/regulated commercial sex trade? 
 
The government and NGOs have developed and signed a formal 
referral mechanism for screening, identifying and assisting 
foreign victims. Police and State Border Police officers use 
a screening questionnaire to assist them in evaluating 
victims. Alien Inspectors employed by the Ministry of 
Security have received formal training in victim 
identification procedures. The referral mechanism for 
domestic victims was approved by the Council of Ministers 
during the reporting period and is in use. 
 
-- I. Are the rights of victims respected?  Are trafficking 
victims detained or jailed?   If so, for how long?  Are 
victims fined?  Are victims prosecuted for violations of 
other laws, such as those governing immigration or 
prostitution? 
 
The rights of victims are respected.  If screening 
established that a person was a trafficking victim, the 
victim was taken to a shelter and authorities did not 
prosecute that person for immigration or prostitution 
violations, nor did authorities detain or jail victims.  The 
Law on Movement and Stay of Aliens provides for the granting 
of a temporary humanitarian visa to TIP victims. The length 
of stay for a humanitarian visa is six months. 
 
If a person is arrested or detained and subsequently 
identified as a trafficking victim, he or she receives 
shelter and related services and is eligible for protection 
from deportation and/or a humanitarian visa.  The BiH 
Criminal Procedure Code allows detention for up to six hours 
for questioning.  This limit is generally respected in 
practice. 
 
Police officials generally presume that detainees are TIP 
victims if there is any evidence to support this conclusion, 
and they are referred to shelters for additional evaluation. 
Bosnia's immigration detention facility has a capacity of 120 
beds. However, in most cases, foreign victims were 
voluntarily repatriated.  Persons determined by law 
enforcement not to be trafficked victims can be subject to 
deportation and/or (occasionally) prosecution for immigration 
and other violations. 
 
-- J. Does the government encourage victims to assist in the 
investigation and prosecution of trafficking?  How many 
victims assisted in the investigation and prosecution of 
traffickers during the reporting period? May victims file 
civil suits or seek legal action against traffickers?  Does 
anyone impede victim access to such legal redress?  If a 
victim is a material witness in a court case against a former 
employer, is the victim permitted to obtain other employment 
or to leave the country pending trial proceedings?  Are there 
means by which a victim may obtain restitution? 
 
The government encourages victim-witnesses to testify against 
their traffickers. The State Anti-trafficking Strike Force 
reported that all cases which reached verdict during the 
reporting period (regardless of conviction, dismissal, or 
acquittal) were prosecuted with the voluntary cooperation of 
victim-witnesses (see para 27. B. above). 
 
Victims can file civil suits against their traffickers for 
medical expenses, lost wages or pain and suffering and are 
encouraged to do.  Vasa Prava attorneys provide pro bono 
legal aid and shelter staff assist victims in filing these 
claims.  Victims remaining in BiH on humanitarian visas or 
those who have applied for asylum are not permitted to work. 
Foreign victims can choose to be voluntarily repatriated at 
any time. There is currently no victim restitution program, 
although there is a victim's assistance fund supported by 
judgments against those convicted of trafficking.  Bosnia is 
currently working to harmonize its immigration laws with EU 
standards. 
 
-- K. Does the government provide any specialized training 
for government officials in identifying trafficking victims 
and in the provision of assistance to trafficked victims, 
including the special needs of trafficked children?  Does the 
government provide training on protections and assistance to 
its embassies and consulates in foreign countries that are 
destination or transit countries?   What is the number of 
trafficking victims assisted by the host country's embassies 
or consulates abroad during the reporting period?  Please 
explain the type of assistance provided (travel documents, 
referrals to assistance, payment for transportation home). 
 
The government provides extensive training in the recognition 
of TIP victims and in how to assist them. The government 
continues to train prosecutors, judges, police officials, and 
social workers on TIP issues.  Specifically, the government 
has worked extensively with the local Centers for Social Work 
responsible for assisting domestic victims, particularly 
minors.  The government has also trained municipal court 
judges, who make guardianship and custody decisions about 
minor victims.  During the reporting period, the government 
continued to train its consular officials abroad to identify 
potential TIP victims applying for Bosnian visas. Officials 
at Bosnian embassies are encouraged to develop connections 
with local TIP NGOs, including La Strada and Catholic Relief 
Services (CRS), which are part of an international network. 
The MFA requires personal interviews for all visa applicants. 
 Bosnian participants in international peacekeeping missions 
also receive specialized TIP awareness training before 
deployment.  All members of incoming units to the EUFOR 
mission in Bosnia are required to attend a four-hour seminar 
on trafficking which stresses NATO's zero-tolerance policy 
for any involvement in TIP or prostitution.  There were no 
reliable estimates on the number of trafficking victims 
assisted by host country embassies or consulates, but this 
number was believed to be low since the majority of native 
Bosnian victims were trafficked within the country's borders. 
 
-- L. Does the government provide assistance, such as medical 
aid, shelter, or financial help, to its nationals who are 
repatriated as victims of trafficking? 
 
At this time, there are no specific government programs to 
assist its repatriated nationals, except those who are 
minors. However, repatriated TIP victims who identify 
themselves and seek assistance can receive the same services 
from local NGOs that are provided to foreign victims. The 
care and custody of minors is the responsibility of the 
Centers for Social Work, who report to the entity Ministries 
of Social Welfare. There is one program with the 
International Centre for Migration Policy Development 
(ICMPD), the Bosnian government and ten other nations on a 
South Eastern Europe Project that includes a standardized 
mechanism and operating procedures for repatriation across 
borders. 
 
-- M. Which international organizations or NGOs, if any, work 
with trafficking victims?  What type of services do they 
provide?  What sort of cooperation do they receive from local 
authorities? 
The following international organizations work on a variety 
of anti-trafficking efforts encompassing prevention, 
protection and prosecution: International Organization for 
Migration (IOM), Catholic Relief Services (CRS), CARE, Save 
The Children Norway, the Organization for Security and 
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), USAID, ICMPD, UNHCR, Norwegian 
People's Aid, the Government of Italy, La Strada Network, and 
Emmaus International. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Paragraph 29: 
 
PREVENTION 
---------- 
 
-- A. Did the government conduct anti-trafficking information 
or education campaigns during the reporting period?  If so, 
briefly describe the campaign(s), including their objectives 
and effectiveness.  Please provide the number of people 
reached by such awareness efforts, if available.  Do these 
campaigns target potential trafficking victims and/or the 
demand for trafficking (e.g. "clients" of prostitutes or 
beneficiaries of forced labor)?  (Note: This can be an 
especially noteworthy effort where prostitution is legal. End 
Note.) 
 
The government continued anti-trafficking education campaigns 
during the reporting period.  The State Coordinator partnered 
with CRS to work on anti-trafficking education issues, with 
support from the U.S. Embassy.  In 2007, the government 
partnered with the International Organization for Migration 
(IOM) to conduct a public campaign targeting both potential 
consumers and victims, including children between 12 and 19 
years old.  The State Coordinator assisted in developing and 
approving educational materials for schoolchildren throughout 
BiH, in cooperation with USAID and the entity Ministries of 
Education. The State Coordinator, in cooperation with 
Caritas, also continued to work on public awareness campaigns 
targeting youth and the Roma community on a regional basis. 
 
-- B. Does the government monitor immigration and emigration 
patterns for evidence of trafficking?  Do law enforcement 
agencies screen for potential trafficking victims along 
borders? 
 
Yes the government of BiH, through the State Border Police, 
monitors immigration/emigration patterns for evidence of TIP. 
Virtually all SBP officers at border crossings and airports 
have received training on the detection and identification of 
potential TIP victims and screen for potential victims along 
the border.  Additionally, border crossings serve as an area 
for trafficking awareness programs, including posters at 
ports of entry to BiH.  The SBP shares their data on 
immigration and emigration at the Strike Force meetings.  The 
State Coordinator's mandate also includes alien smuggling and 
illegal immigration. 
 
During 2009, 27 persons were identified as victims of alien 
smuggling (a decrease of approximately 50 percent from last 
year).  SIPA reports all these persons were intended to be 
smuggled to Western Europe.  In 2009, Bosnian Border Police 
report a total of 381 persons discovered while trying to 
cross the country's border illegally.  Of these, there were 
169 citizens of Bosnia, 72 citizens of Serbia, 40 citizens of 
Croatia, 49 citizens of Albania, 15 citizens of Kosovo, 15 
citizens of Turkey, seven citizens of Macedonia, six citizens 
of Montenegro, two citizens of the United States, two of 
Russia, and one each of Algeria, Sweden, Ireland, and China. 
 
The government, in addition to measures meant to strengthen 
anti-trafficking programs, is also actively providing 
training programs to specifically counter alien smuggling 
which has implications for trafficking in persons issues. 
 
-- C. Is there a mechanism for coordination and communication 
between various agencies, internal, international, and 
multilateral on trafficking-related matters, such as a 
multi-agency working group or a task force? 
 
The primary coordination and communication mechanisms are the 
TIP Strike Force, the State Coordinator's thematic working 
groups, and the larger TIP working group that includes NGO 
and IO representatives.  Generally, the State Coordinator's 
office is the point of contact for all these mechanisms.  The 
State Coordinator meets regularly with NGOs to share 
information and discuss anti-TIP activities.  The government 
does not have a public corruption task force.  During the 
reporting period, however, BiH adopted a National 
Anti-Corruption Strategy.  A portion of this strategy relates 
directly to the fight against public corruption.  SIPA also 
has units that focus on trafficking, organized crime and 
financial crimes, and the entity Police Standards Units 
(PSUs) investigate and file charges in cases of corruption or 
abuse of office by police personnel.  SIPA's newly-formed 
trafficking units have neared full staffing levels, and plan 
to eventually take over the coordination and communication 
work of the Strike Force, as envisioned by BiH government 
plans. 
 
-- D. Does the government have a national plan of action to 
address trafficking in persons?  If the plan was developed 
during the reporting period, which agencies were involved in 
developing it?  Were NGOs consulted in the process?  What 
steps has the government taken to implement the action plan? 
 
In 2008, the government enacted a five-year National Action 
Plan to cover 2008-2012 (the second such plan for BiH). The 
new plan clearly establishes operational measures and 
objectives in the areas of: systematic support, prevention, 
victim (and victim witness) protection and assistance, 
criminal prosecution and international cooperation. The plan 
also delineates the responsibilities of various institutions, 
including the government, NGO and international communities 
and establishes a time frame for implementation, sources of 
funding and indicators for success.  The Ministry of Human 
Rights and Refugees, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of 
Security, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the State Border 
Police and the BiH State Prosecutor's Office helped to 
develop the Action Plan.  NGOs working on combating 
trafficking were also consulted during the drafting process 
and had an opportunity to provide input on the new plan. 
 
-- E. What measures has the government taken during the 
reporting period to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts? 
 
The government has undertaken public prevention campaigns 
(including the secondary school program) mentioned in para 
29.A. in this submission, targeting the demand for commercial 
sex acts.  BiH law enforcement agencies have consistently 
undertaken actions to police "night bars" and other suspected 
locations of illegal prostitution over the past several 
years. 
 
Additionally, amendments to the BiH Criminal Code enacted 
this year criminalize for the first time the "use of services 
of victims of human trafficking" with a punishment of between 
six months and five years, imprisonment. 
 
-- F. What measures has the government taken during the 
reporting period to reduce the participation in international 
child sex tourism by nationals of the country? 
 
Sex tourism has not been identified as a problem in BiH or by 
nationals of BiH. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Paragraph 30: 
 
PARTNERSHIPS 
------------ 
 
-- A. Does the government engage with other governments, 
civil society, and/or multilateral organizations to focus 
attention and devote resources to addressing human 
trafficking?  If so, please provide details. 
 
The government of Bosnia and Herzegovina works actively with 
a number of NGOs and international organizations to combat 
trafficking.  See para 28. M. for a brief list of these 
organizations. 
 
-- B. What sort of international assistance does the 
government provide to other countries to address TIP? 
 
Bosnia and Herzegovina participates in a regional TIP 
referral mechanism, and INTERPOL cooperation, including on 
trafficking issues.  The country is not in a financial 
position to provide material support to others at this time 
on trafficking issues. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Paragraph 34: 
TIP HERO 
-------- 
 
(SBU) Post wishes to nominate Ms. Gabrijela Jurela, TIP 
officer for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in 
Europe (OSCE) Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, as TIP hero 
of the year.  Ms. Jurela has been a tireless advocate for the 
improvement in handling of TIP issues over the course of 
several years.  Her efforts span the full spectrum of 
possible involvement:  from meeting individually with 
sexually-abused minors, to pushing local social workers to 
recognize and handle properly various TIP cases.  Ms. Jurela, 
however, utilizing her impeccable English and native 
Croatian, engages one-on-one with political leaders including 
State Prosecutors, ministers, and foreign ambassadors.  In 
many ways, her personal efforts have been the primary source 
of international-local coordination in addressing TIP issues. 
 Bosnia has benefited greatly from her efforts, her passion, 
and her commitment to the well-being of victims and potential 
victims.  For these reasons, Embassy Sarajevo wishes to 
nominate her as the TIP hero of the year. 
ENGLISH