“Most people keep their sexuality a secret. There is lots of discrimination here.” Gay campaigners are hoping that Bosnia’s bid to join the European Union, which has put its human rights record under greater scrutiny, will lead to change. By Morgan Meaker Associated Press Thomson Reuters Foundation December 1, 2015 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/bosnia-lgbt-community_565dca9ae4b08e945fec99b3?ir=Gay%2BVoices%253Fncid%253Dnewsltushpmg00000003 Sarajevo, Bosnia
Homosexual sex was decriminalized in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) in 1998 and in the provincial Republika Srpska (RS) in 2000, by those two entities adopting their own criminal laws. The age of consent is 14, regardless of sexual orientation (having sexual relations with a person under 14 is considered statutory rape). There are no gay clubs in Sarajevo.
There are two organisations in FBiH, working on the human rights of LGBT population, Organization Q and Organization Logos. Organization Q for Promotion and Protection of Culture, Identities and Human Rights of Queer Persons was founded in September 2002, and formally registered in February 2004. Organization Logos was founded and registered in 2006.
Name: Bosnia
Population: 3982000
Capital: Sarajevo - Pop. 305065
Area: 51197 sq. km/ sq. miles
Language: Bosnian, Serbian, Croatian
Religion: Muslim, Serb Orthodox, Catholic
Status of Homosexuality: Legal
Telephone Country Code: 387
Gay Life in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Introduction: Article 26 of the Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) constitution recognizes that “all persons are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to the equal protection of the law on any ground such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.” Some rights activists argue the reference to sex prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation. But it is not a clearly defined issue and therein are the considerable troubles LGBT people face against a homophobic society in trying to enjoy “Gay Life in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”