CCPR/C/BIH/CO/1 page 2 7. The Committee welcomes the State party’s reform of its criminal law and judicial system, in particular: (a) The adoption of a Law on the Protection from Family Violence providing for a range of protective measures and the fact that domestic violence and trafficking in persons have been established as discrete crimes in the State and Entity Criminal Codes; (b) The adoption of State and Entity Laws on Protection of Witnesses; and (c) The establishment of a War Crimes Chamber at the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina vested with competence to deal with war crimes cases transferred to it from the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, and of a State Investigation and Protection Agency within the Ministry of Security to enhance cooperation of the police with war crimes prosecutors. C. Principal subjects of concern and recommendations 8. The Committee is concerned that after the rejection of the relevant constitutional amendment on 26 April 2006, the State Constitution and Election Law continue to exclude “Others,” i.e. persons not belonging to one of the State party’s “constituent peoples” (Bosniaks, Croats and Serbs), from being elected to the House of Peoples and to the tripartite Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina. (arts. 2, 25 and 26) The State party should reopen talks on the constitutional reform in a transparent process and on a wide participatory basis, including all stakeholders, with a view to adopting an electoral system that guarantees equal enjoyment of the rights under article 25 of the Covenant to all citizens irrespective of ethnicity. 9. The Committee is concerned that the Covenant has not been translated into the official languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina and that judges, prosecutors and lawyers are not fully aware of the direct applicability of the provisions of the Covenant. (art. 2) The State party should give wide publicity to the provisions of the Covenant, inter alia, by translating it into the official languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina and by improving training provided to judges, prosecutors and lawyers on the application of the Covenant. 10. The Committee regrets the failure to adopt an appropriate law on the establishment of a Committee for Truth and Reconciliation, as well as of other initiatives to promote reconciliation. (art. 2) The State party should intensify its efforts to adopt a systematic approach to reestablishing mutual trust between different ethnic groups and accounting for past human rights abuses. 11. The Committee notes with concern that, despite the introduction of quotas in the Election Law of Bosnia and Herzegovina requiring political parties to nominate at least 30 per cent women candidates, women are still under-represented in legislative and executive bodies at all levels. (art. 3 and 25 (c))