"Human rights respected, problems remain"

"Serbia, Kosovo and Montenegro, on the whole, respect the human rights of their citizens, though there are problems," says a U.S. State Department report. In the section of the annual report which deals with Serbia, it states that the government in Belgrade generally respects the human rights of its citizens, though there are problems, such as police brutality and corruption in the police and justice systems, as well as ineffective, long court procedures. "Human rights respected, problems remain" Alongside mention of the fact that Serbia last year arrested Stojan Zupljanin and Radovan Karadzic, it adds that the Belgrade government has not yet arrested two wanted war criminals, says Voice of America. Among other problems, intimidating and abusing journalists, human rights defenders and other government critics is mentioned, as well as limited freedom of speech and religion, discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities, especially Roma, violence against women and children, human trafficking and the unresolved matter of a large number of displaced persons. The report claims the Kosovo government and UNMIK largely respect human rights but noted some problems, the majority of which relate to minority communities. The most serious problems are deaths and injuries from unexploded landmines or similar explosives, corruption and government interference in the work of security forces and justice, politically and ethnically motivated violence and social intolerance for Serbs and members of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Kosovo is also criticized for insufficient progress returning internally displaced persons, white slavery, and violence and discrimination against women. In the section dealing with Montenegro it states that the government basically respects human rights, but there are a number of problems, including police abuse of suspects in prison, bad prison conditions, unjustified arrests, intimidating journalists and discriminating against women and ethnic minorities, particularly the Roma.

"Human rights respected, problems remain"

Alongside mention of the fact that Serbia last year arrested Stojan Župljanin and Radovan Karadžić, it adds that the Belgrade government has not yet arrested two wanted war criminals, says Voice of America.

Among other problems, intimidating and abusing journalists, human rights defenders and other government critics is mentioned, as well as limited freedom of speech and religion, discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities, especially Roma, violence against women and children, human trafficking and the unresolved matter of a large number of displaced persons.

The report claims the Kosovo government and UNMIK largely respect human rights but noted some problems, the majority of which relate to minority communities.

The most serious problems are deaths and injuries from unexploded landmines or similar explosives, corruption and government interference in the work of security forces and justice, politically and ethnically motivated violence and social intolerance for Serbs and members of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Kosovo is also criticized for insufficient progress returning internally displaced persons, white slavery, and violence and discrimination against women.

In the section dealing with Montenegro it states that the government basically respects human rights, but there are a number of problems, including police abuse of suspects in prison, bad prison conditions, unjustified arrests, intimidating journalists and discriminating against women and ethnic minorities, particularly the Roma.