FBiH’s police determined to combat hate crimes

In 2016. education on bias motivated crimes will be held again, but in a slightly different way. With different MoI’s of FBiH we negotiated for the module about hate crime to be included into programmes of professional trainings and specialization of the police officers, and in the permanent education of Ministries of Internal Affairs in entire of Federation of BiH. Police officers who finish this year’s train the trainer program will continue to adequately educate their colleagues.

Several MoI’s have already given their consent: MoI of Zeničko-dobojski Canton, MoI of Bosansko-podrinjski Canton, MoI of Hercegovačko-neretvanski Canton, MoI of Canton 10, MoI of Tuzlanski Canton, MoI of Posavski Canton and we expect answers of other MoI’s on whether hate crimes will be included in their program of permanent education.

During 2015. as a part of two-year project Fighting Hate Crime in BiH, Sarajevo Open Centre has, on behalf of Coalition for Combat Against Hate Speech and Hate Crime and in partnership with OSCE Mission in BiH, implemented trainings on bias motivated crimes and prejudice as a motive of these crimes with financial support of the Permanent Representation of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the OSCE in Vienna.

Police officers from 9 cantons in the Federation of BiH have been included, and altogether 155 of them went through the training.