Law and Religion in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

Article deals with the freedom of religion in the legal system of Bosnia and Herzegovina granted by the Constitution and further regulated by the Law on Freedom of Religion, as well as the other statutory provisions. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, religion has a specific status given that it is a building block of ethnic identity of the constituent people, e.g. Bosniaks, Serbs, and Croats. Having this in mind, an introduction of the collective rights can be indirectly understood as the protection of religion. Furthermore, the article gives an analysis of relevant constitutional provisions as well as the European Convention on Human Rights. In concrete, Article 9, which grants freedom of thought, conscience and religion. Moreover, the article gives an analysis of the relevant case law developed before the European Court for Human Rights, domestic institutions and the documented violations of the freedom of religion in the county.