Bosnia, Europe

Homosexual sex was decriminalized in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) in 1998 and in the provincial Republika Srpska (RS) in 2000, by those two entities adopting their own criminal laws. The age of consent is 14, regardless of sexual orientation (having sexual relations with a person under 14 is considered statutory rape). There are no gay clubs in Sarajevo. There are two organisations in FBiH, working on the human rights of LGBT population, Organization Q and Organization Logos. Organization Q for Promotion and Protection of Culture, Identities and Human Rights of Queer Persons was founded in September 2002, and formally registered in February 2004. Organization Logos was founded and registered in 2006.

 

 

Bosnia takes first small step towards recognising same-sex relationships

Bosnia and Herzegovina, a country with a poor record on LGBT+ rights, has taken its first small step towards recognising same-sex relationships. While in recent years Bosnia has been moving in the right direction — 2016 saw the country ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity — there is still no… Read more »

Bosnians march in first Gay Pride under tight police protection

Sarajevo (Reuters) – Several thousand people marched in Bosnia’s first Gay Pride on Sunday, protected by a major security operation including anti-sniper units after some conservative Muslim groups organized counter-rallies. The parade in the capital Sarajevo ended peacefully despite fears of violence prompted by aggressive hate speech online in a country where anti-gay sentiment can… Read more »

Bosnia Activists Hope EU Bid Will Help End Anti-LGBT Violence

“Most people keep their sexuality a secret. There is lots of discrimination here.” Sarajevo (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Ivan has not told his parents, or many friends, that he’s gay. “I want to tell them, of course,” he said. “Every person on this planet needs to share nice things from his private life; to say… Read more »

Bosnia: Attack on LGBT Activists

Ensure Justice, Protection for Activists Bosnian LGBT activists and their supporters should be able to gather without being the targets of homophobic attacks. The Bosnian authorities need to make clear that the attackers will be found and prosecuted.-Lydia Gall, Balkans and Eastern Europe researcher (Budapest) – Authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina should publicly condemn an… Read more »

3 injured after hooded attackers storm gay film festival screening in Sarajevo

Three people were injured after hooligans wearing hoods and balaclavas stormed a movie theatre hosting a gay film festival in the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo on Saturday A police official, who asked to remain anonymous, told AFP that “several” hooligans entered the Art Cinema Kriterion on the second day of the 3-day Merlinka festival, which… Read more »

From white water rafting to a white-knuckle ride for gay equality in the Balkans

Clark Turner continues his guided tour through the Balkans, finding a mix of natural beauty and a growing gay rights movement in the aftermath of war Monday morning and we are back on the road. We head deep into the mountains. The area is breathtaking. Peaks reach for the sky, while valleys plummet to oblivion,… Read more »

EC report criticises EU applicants Turkey, Kosovo and Serbia on LGBT rights

A European Commission report detailing the nature of LGBT rights in several countries looking to join the European Union has criticised Macedonia, Montenegro and Turkey. The reports show that LGBT people continue to face discrimination, threats and violence throughout south-eastern European and Turkey. Widespread hate crime against LGBT people were noted in Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia,… Read more »

Balkan states told to improve on LGBT rights before joining EU

The European Parliament have advised countries joining the EU to adopt legislation against discrimination of LGBT citizens Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina have been told they should improve LGBT rights ahed of joining the European Union. Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have voted in favour of reports encouraging Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina to enforce… Read more »

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Roma, Jews Face Political Discrimination

EU, US Support for Constitutional Change Needed to Break Legacy of War (Sarajevo) – Roma, Jews, and other national minorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina remain excluded from participation in national politics 20 years after war began, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. Bosnia needs to remove ethnic discrimination against national minorities from… Read more »

Video: Gay Bosnian refugee tells his story

Dario Kosarac recounts his feelings of never totally belonging in Bosnia because his parents were of mixed Serbian-Croatian ethnic backgrounds; and never being totally accepted in the USA because he was from Bosnia and is gay. Born and raised in Bosnia, which at the time was Socialist Yugoslavia, and of parents that were different ethnic… Read more »

Gay Bosnia-Herzegovina News & Reports

1 Bosnian gay movie wins hearts at Sarajevo film fest 8/05 2 Gay festival during Ramadan angers Bosnia Muslims 8/08 3 Bosnia police brace for Gay Pride violence 9/08 4 Media supporting Bosnia’s first gay festival threatened 9/08 5 Eight injured in attack on gay festival in Sarajevo 9/08 6 Serbian official praises police response… Read more »