and her colleagues during the vigil. The Spanish consul in Bolivia facilitated a negotiated evacuation of the groups occupying the office, bringing the vigil to an end.2 The normal functioning of the APDHB had not resumed by the end of the year. RIGHT TO TRUTH, JUSTICE AND REPARATION In October, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights published its first report monitoring the implementation of recommendations made by its Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts for Bolivia in response to the 2019 political crisis. At least 37 people died and hundreds more were wounded by security forces during the crisis. The commission recognized some advances in support for victims, but it noted that ongoing investigations into grave human rights violations had registered little progress, and a comprehensive reparation programme had not been implemented. INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ RIGHTS The government announced the implementation phase of a national plan to reduce the exposure of Indigenous Peoples to the unregulated disposal of mercury from gold mining. The announcement was not accompanied by any details on how the plan was to be implemented. Meanwhile, the authorities continued to permit new gold mining projects, which raised the risk of mercury contamination for communities across the country. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND ASSEMBLY During January, the Ombudsperson’s Office reported several instances of excessive use of force by police in response to a series of protests following the arrest of the governor of Santa Cruz, Luis Fernando Camacho. Civil organizations documented attacks against 75 journalists during the protests. The State of the World’s Human Rights RIGHT TO A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT Despite Bolivia’s commitment to maintain its forest cover, human rights defenders cited inaction by authorities to abolish laws that for years have favoured agro-industry and extractive industries and enabled deforestation. Defenders also highlighted insufficient measures to prevent an intense forest fire season – made more intense by climate change – towards the end of the year. 1. “Bolivia: Human rights defenders at risk, 40+ days of vigil”, 19 July 2. “Bolivia: Further information: Human rights defender ends 52-day vigil after invaders vacate occupied NGO office: Amparo Carvajal”, 1 August BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA Bosnia and Herzegovina New laws in Republika Srpska further threatened freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Thousands of migrants remained stranded in the country. LGBTI people faced physical attacks and discriminatory speech online. The murder of a woman by her partner screened live on social media sparked countrywide protests. Prosecutions for war crimes progressed slowly. Heavy reliance on fossil fuels caused alarming levels of pollution. BACKGROUND Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) remained embroiled in political crises. The Republika Srpska (RS) authorities passed laws that threatened the constitutional order of BiH, including one that suspended the rulings of the BiH Constitutional Court in the RS and another that suspended publication of the High Representative’s decisions in the Official Gazette, thereby preventing them from entering into force. The EU warned that the laws had no legal basis and undermined BiH’s accession process. 101