Citizens' protest over violence against women in Bosnia and Herzegovina began with a XNUMX-minute traffic blockade in the center of Sarajevo.
About 60 citizens blocked traffic not far from the building of the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Delegation of the European Union (EU) to BiH. The nationwide protest was held under the slogan "If women stop, everything stops", and men and women across the country stopped for 16 minutes at 15 pm in support of victims of all forms of violence.
About 30 women also gathered in Tuzla, carrying leaflets that resemble obituaries with the question "Which one is next?".
Women also gathered in Gračanica, in the northeast of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with banners demanding that the violence stop.
The protest was held after Nermin Sulejmanović killed Nizama Hećimović in Gradačac on August 11.
He shot his ex-partner while broadcasting the murder live on Instagram. He killed two more people and wounded three others in the area of this city.
Meanwhile, on August 20, a man killed his unmarried wife in the family house not far from Živinice, in the northeast of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
After that he committed suicide.
This is the second murder in the past ten days in Bosnia and Herzegovina in which a man killed his unmarried wife.
As published on the Facebook page of the group "I didn't ask", it is demanded, among other things, the introduction of a legal definition of femicide, the directing of money for the continuous and adequate financing of safe houses and victims of violence, and the mandatory initiation of disciplinary proceedings under the emergency procedure against competent persons for failing to provide protection women and girls victims of gender-based violence.
Access to the urgent amendment of the law on the acquisition, possession and carrying of weapons and ammunition at all levels is also sought, with the aim of tightening the conditions for obtaining weapons and making it as difficult as possible for legal access to owning weapons, as well as confiscating weapons from persons who have been reported for violence, especially for violence against women and girls.
A little earlier, the protest walk was also held in Banja Luka, in the Republika Srpska entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Citizens stated that they expect protection from violence in the family and partner relationships to become a priority, and that the actions of the police, social services and the judiciary will be more efficient.
Women in many cities in Serbia joined the protests in cities across BiH.
Earlier during the day, civil society organizations in Croatia also gave their support.
According to the Committee for Monitoring the Implementation and Reporting of the Istanbul Convention and Femicide in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2021 women were killed in 2022 and 19.
Bonus video:
