CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

PART ONE - BASIC PROVISIONS

CHAPTER I - BASIC PRINCIPLES

Article 5 - Rights of a Person Deprived of Liberty

A person deprived of liberty must, in his native tongue or any other language that he understands, be immediately informed about the reasons for his apprehension and instructed on the fact that he is not bound to make a statement or answer questions, on his right to a defense attorney of his own choice as well as on the right that his family, consular officer of the foreign state whose citizen he is, or another person designated by him be informed about his deprivation of liberty.

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

PART TWO - COURSE OF THE PROCEEDINGS

CHAPTER XXI - THE MAIN TRIAL

Section 6 – COMMENCEMENT OF THE MAIN TRIAL

Article 260 - Reading the Indictment and Opening Arguments

The main trial shall commence by reading the indictment. The indictment shall be read by the Prosecutor.

After the indictment has been read, the judge or the presiding judge shall ask the accused whether he has understood the charges. If the judge or the presiding judge finds that the accused has not understood the charges, the judge or the presiding judge shall summarize the content of the indictment in a manner understandable to the accused. The Prosecutor shall then briefly state the evidence he will rely upon in his case.

The accused or his defense attorney may then present a summary of the defense plan.

Article 67
Rights of the accused
1. In the determination of any charge, the accused shall be entitled to a public hearing, having regard to the provisions of this Statute, to a fair hearing conducted impartially, and to the following minimum guarantees, in full equality:
(a) To be informed promptly and in detail of the nature, cause and content of the charge, in a language which the accused fully understands and speaks