Anisu Kalajdžić trial tests Bosnia's new femicide law

The trial of Anisu Kalajdžić for the murder of Aldina Jahić in Mostar is the first case in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina to apply the new femicide provision (Article 166a) of the criminal code. Under the law, a gender‑based killing can carry a prison term of ten to forty‑five years, and courts must consider factors such as prior abuse, dependency, and power imbalances.

Prosecutors have charged Kalajdžić with aggravated murder of a female person and illegal possession of a weapon. Observers, including Zilka Spahić‑Šiljak of the TPO Foundation, say the verdict will reveal whether the femicide amendment is a substantive reform or a symbolic change. Judge Adisa Zahiragić echoed this view, stressing that the case should be examined in the broader context of ongoing violence rather than as an isolated act.

The outcome is expected to set a precedent for future investigations and sentencing of gender‑based crimes throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina.