OHR supports firmly the principle of independence of the judiciary and reminds that Judges should be independent and able to act without any restrictions, improper influence, inducements, pressures, threats or interferences, direct or indirect, from any quarter or for any reason. In the making of judicial decisions and exercising other official duties, individual judges are subject to no other authority but the law.
In this regard, the OHR condemns the recent threat to initiate a lawsuit for attempted theft against judges of the Trebinje Municipal Court for their decision in the Alijagic case. Intimidating members of the Judiciary means failing to respect these basic principles, guaranteed both under the BiH legal framework and international standards under which judges are independent and immune from prosecution for acts falling within the scope of their official duties.