USAID's Justice Activity in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Quarterly Report, April – June 2018

The purpose of the initiative is to help justice sector institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina effectively combat government corruption, prosecute serious crimes, and build public trust. The initiative has two main components: Component 1, which aims to strengthen the professional status and performance of prosecutor offices (POs) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Component 2, which focuses on strengthening the BiH justice sector institutions to uphold public integrity and combat corruption. The Justice Activity works in partnership with key actors and stakeholders in the justice system in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC), partner courts and POs, and ministries of justice. Specific activities include partnership programs with each PO, providing individual assistance to prosecutors, supporting the Office of Disciplinary Counsel (ODC) to enhance ethical standards and integrity, and preparing in-depth diagnostic assessments of key issues. These activities are led by a project team of national legal experts with in-depth knowledge of the BiH judicial system. During the quarter from April to June 2018, the Justice Activity continued to implement activities with 19 POs to enhance the status and performance of prosecutors, improve the integrity of the justice sector, and improve the capacity of courts and prosecutors to enforce laws against corrupt officials. The activity provided intensive practice-based training and mentorship to prosecutors working in several POs, including Sarajevo, Bihać, Orašje, Mostar, Brčko District, Trebinje, Doboj, and Bijeljina. Three specialized trainings were provided in cooperation with the Judicial and Prosecutorial Training Centers (JPTCs) and the Strengthening POs' Capacities in the Criminal Justice System Project (SDC Project), funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Norwegian Government. The trainings focused on corruption, economic and organized crime, and cyber-crime cases associated with organized and financial crime. The Justice Activity also supported the District PO in Banja Luka in delivering an intensive on-site training to prosecutors of the District POs Banja Luka, Prijedor, and Doboj, the Republic PO of the Republika Srpska (RS), and the Special Office for Organized Crime and Corruption of the Republic PO of Republika Srpska (RSSPO) on the identification and use of electronic evidence. Additionally, the activity supported seven prosecutors from six partner POs to complete an intensive five-day anti-corruption training. The Justice Activity's efforts aim to contribute to the implementation and completion of the advanced specialized training programs, which are part of the JPTCs' Annual Training Program for Judges and Prosecutors for 2018. The initiative's activities are designed to enhance the capacity of the justice sector institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina to effectively combat corruption and build public trust.