The impact of COVID-19 restrictions on human rights of irregular migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

This paper aims to investigate possible human rights violations against irregular migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in Bosnia and Herzegovina as a result of national COVID-19 related measures introduced on the grounds of public health and safety. At the early onset of COVID-19 pandemic, Bosnia and Herzegovina disproportionally interfered with the enjoyment of human rights by imposing series of strict movement restrictions and prohibitions particularly affecting those already in situations of vulnerability. Consequently, people on the move were stranded in the country with limited reception capacities, thus facing severe health and safety risks associated with pandemic. The State’s asylum system turned out to be largely ineffective due to persisting institutional gaps as well as reluctance in internal political discourse towards migration issues. Meanwhile, host communities had been turning to xenophobic narratives as a result of political instability and poor migration management during pandemic, which contributed to reinforcement of discriminatory practices.