Constitutional Court of BiH to Rule Today on SNSD Appeal Challenging Schmidt’s Decision on Amendments to the Criminal Code

The Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is expected to announce its decision today regarding the lawsuit filed by the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) concerning the provision of the BiH Criminal Code that defines non-compliance with decisions of the High Representative as a criminal offense.

Former High Representative Christian Schmidt imposed amendments to the Criminal Code and this provision in July 2023, on the basis of which Milorad Dodik was sentenced to one year in prison and a six-year ban on holding public office.

The SNSD parliamentary group in the National Assembly of Republika Srpska submitted an appeal to the Constitutional Court of BiH for a review of the constitutionality of Article 203a of the BiH Criminal Code and Article 4 of the Law on Amendments to the BiH Criminal Code.

The Constitutional Court of BiH had previously rejected the SNSD’s appeal regarding the convicting verdict handed down to Dodik by the Court of BiH.