Bosnia’s Federation Changes Law to Make Femicide a Specific Crime

The House of Representatives of the Federation Parliament. Photo: N1/F.Z.

The House of Representatives in Bosnia’s Federation entity parliament on Wednesday amended the Criminal Code to formally recognise gender-based murder as a distinct crime. The changes still need to be confirmed by the other chamber, the House of Peoples.

The amended law classifies the gender-based killing of a woman as aggravated murder, punishable by a minimum of 10 years in prison. Harsher penalties are foreseen where the victim was previously abused, or dependent on the perpetrator, or if the murder occurred in the context of sexual violence or gender inequality.

“This proposal is the result of the campaign ‘We Will Not Die in Silence’, led over the past 11 months by the organisation Glas Zene Bihac [Voice of Bihac Women],” the association stated. Representatives of the women’s rights organisation were present during the session.

The session heard that the amended legislation would send a clear message that violence against women will no longer be treated as an “ordinary” offence but as a grave violation of the law.

Bosnian law previously did not recognise gender-based murder as a separate crime. It was treated as murder, punishable up to 20 years in prison, or as “aggravated murder” with sentences of 20 to 40 years. Gender-based violence was recognised as a specific crime.

The legal code amendments also eliminate the possibility of substituting prison sentences of up to one year with fines in serious cases.

This includes offences against the constitutional order, human trafficking, sexual violence and domestic abuse, signalling a tougher approach to such crimes.

Bosnia has recorded a series of femicides and gender-based killings in the past year-and-a-half. Violent partners have committed more than 25 murders.

The amendments partially align legislation in the Federation with Directive 2024/1385 of the European Parliament and Council of May 14, 2024 on combating violence against women and domestic violence.

NOTE: This article was updated on May 29, 2025 to clarify that the Federation House of Representatives amended the Criminal Code to formally recognise gender-based murder as a distinct crime.