“Kosovo justice system fails to prioritize war crimes”

More than ten years after the end of the conflict, there has been a systematic failure in prioritizing war crimes cases in Kosovo.

Izvor: Tanjug

Tuesday, 15.06.2010.

17:21

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More than ten years after the end of the conflict, there has been a systematic failure in prioritizing war crimes cases in Kosovo. This is according to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), that presented its report in Pristina on Tuesday. “Kosovo justice system fails to prioritize war crimes” "This failure runs counter to the expectations of the public and to the interests of justice and reconciliation. War crimes, due to their nature, gravity and importance to the reconciliation process, were not regarded with due consideration by the judicial institutions," reads the report. In the document entitled, “Kosovo's War Crimes Trials: An Assessment Ten Years On”, the OSCE said that the timely delivery of justice in war crimes cases is of special importance because it alleviates the perception of impunity in these cases. The OSCE also notes with concern that for the relatively small number of war crimes cases that have made it into the justice system, there have been repeated delays at each stage of criminal proceedings. "One important factor which has contributed to these delays is that many of the suspects in these cases have fled the jurisdiction and are unreachable by Kosovo judicial institutions," the OSCE notes. Another issue that hampers the resolution of war crimes cases is the lack of a witness protection program. "The lack of such a program is a major obstacle to collecting relevant evidence," OSCE noted and welcomed the efforts by institutions to address this situation in the form of the draft law on witness protection.

“Kosovo justice system fails to prioritize war crimes”

"This failure runs counter to the expectations of the public and to the interests of justice and reconciliation. War crimes, due to their nature, gravity and importance to the reconciliation process, were not regarded with due consideration by the judicial institutions," reads the report.

In the document entitled, “Kosovo's War Crimes Trials: An Assessment Ten Years On”, the OSCE said that the timely delivery of justice in war crimes cases is of special importance because it alleviates the perception of impunity in these cases.

The OSCE also notes with concern that for the relatively small number of war crimes cases that have made it into the justice system, there have been repeated delays at each stage of criminal proceedings.

"One important factor which has contributed to these delays is that many of the suspects in these cases have fled the jurisdiction and are unreachable by Kosovo judicial institutions," the OSCE notes.

Another issue that hampers the resolution of war crimes cases is the lack of a witness protection program.

"The lack of such a program is a major obstacle to collecting relevant evidence," OSCE noted and welcomed the efforts by institutions to address this situation in the form of the draft law on witness protection.

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