Lawmakers to consider stricter penalties for terrorism-related offenses on June 10

(Patria) - The Bill on Amendments to the Criminal Code of BiH in the second reading, proposed by MPs Saša Magazinović, Jasmin Emrić, and Šemsudin Mehmedović, will also be on the agenda of the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliament on June 10.

This proposal provides for a drastic tightening of penalties for criminal offenses related to terrorism.

This bill provides for the criminal offense of misuse of information technologies, the internet, and social networks for terrorist purposes. 

“This is actually an alignment with international standards for combating terrorism. These amendments, considering new technologies, prevent misuse. These amendments enable the removal of content that incites terrorism.

It is expected that this pandemic will further affect the situation in BiH. A broad political platform in the previous convocation stood behind this proposal, but unfortunately, due to the interruption of the last session, it was not addressed, which is why Emrić, Magazinović, and I submitted this proposal,” said Šemsudin Mehmedović.

This bill provides for the criminal offense of misuse of information technologies, the internet, and social networks for terrorist purposes. Thus, it is proposed that a person who produces, offers, makes available, or otherwise transfers, acquires, or possesses digital content for distribution for terrorist purposes, which glorifies any form of terrorism or is suitable for inciting others to take hostages, endanger persons under international protection, unauthorized acquisition or disposal of nuclear material, endangering a nuclear facility, piracy, hijacking of an aircraft or vessel, or seizure of a fixed platform, endangering the safety of air or maritime navigation or fixed platforms, destruction and removal of signs serving air traffic safety, misuse of telecommunication signs, terrorism, financing of terrorist activities, public incitement to terrorist activities, recruitment for terrorist activities, training for carrying out terrorist activities, organizing a terrorist group, travel and stay in another country for terrorist activities, and committing criminal offenses of forgery of documents and property offenses for the purpose of terrorist activities, be punished with imprisonment of at least three years.

The bill also precisely defines the criminal offense of committing forgery of documents and property offenses for the purpose of terrorist activities, as well as the criminal offense of travel and stay in another country for the purpose of terrorist activities.