MEETING OF THE TASK FORCE FOR FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN HUMAN BEINGS AND ORGANISED ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

The meeting discussed work activities, as well as communication and activities of institutions and agencies - members of the Task Force in strengthening the capacity to prosecute crimes of human trafficking and illegal migrations.

The Chief Prosecutor of the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Gordana Tadić, chaired a meeting of the Task Force for Fight against Trafficking in Human Beings and Organised Illegal Immigration, which was attended by representatives of police, judicial, security and law enforcement institutions from all levels in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The today’s meeting of the Task Force was organised on the occasion of the World Day against Trafficking in Persons.

At the beginning of the meeting, it was pointed out that, among others, the institutions within the Task Force and the Specialised Network of Investigators and Prosecutors, as well as anti-trafficking coordination teams, together with the non-governmental sector, contributed to the Bosnia and Herzegovina’s progress on the U.S. State Department’s list - from the supervising list to List 2.

It was also emphasised that activities had to be continued in the future, with the aim of even more efficient prosecution of perpetrators of these criminal offences and protection of victims of human trafficking, and also with the aim of improving the status of Bosnia and Herzegovina in this area.

The Chief Prosecutor informed the members of the Task Force that pursuant to the latest amendments to the Rules of the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH, the Section for Fight against Trafficking in Human Beings and Illegal Immigration was established in the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH.

All present members of the Task Force informed the participants at the meeting about the work and results of the institutions they were from in the prosecution of criminal offences in this area.

In the previous period, indictments were issued for the criminal offences of trafficking in human beings and smuggling of persons, which included foreign citizens and citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina who took part in illegal activities, and victims and injured parties - foreign citizens were recorded.

One of the conclusions of the meeting is that in the coming period a detailed analysis of the recommendations from the State Department’s Report will be performed, which refer to the Task Force with the aim of implementing them in the coming period.