Jevtic: Human rights more important than delineation (Voice of America, Radio KIM)
Outgoing Kosovo Minister for Communities and Returns, Dalibor Jevtic told Voice of America, he does not know what an idea on delineation encompasses, and that he is not personally familiar with that idea. However, Jevtic added that any agreement leading towards a lasting peace should be supported. “If one speaks about delineation, the first issue […]
Read More →No justice for Albanian victims in Kosovo, let alone the Serbs says human rights activist (Danas, N1)
A Kosovo human rights activist has expressed doubts about justice for Albanian and Serb victims of the conflict in the 1990s. Bekim Blakaj, Director of the Humanitarian Law Centre Kosovo, told Belgrade daily Danas that he fears that most of the victims will not receive justice. “We have no one convicted for the murder of […]
Read More →Paunovic called on the UN to determine the human rights situation in Kosovo (Tanjug, Vecernje Novosti)
Belgrade based Tanjug news agency reports that Serbia from 2013 until now requested from the eight contracting bodies of United Nations that UNMIK reports on the application of the standards of valid conventions on the territory of Kosovo. Director of the Office for Human and Minority Rights Suzana Paunovic said yesterday and called on the […]
Read More →Kosovo journalists awarded for human rights reporting (Prishtina Insight)
The Journalistic Award for Human Rights presented three stories–on vaccinations, violence against women, and gender equality in Kosovo’s general elections–with journalism prizes. Over 20 journalists submitted stories to be considered for awards for journalistic excellence, under the project “OmbudsWatch – Promoting Ombudsperson’s role in Kosovo.” Winners were announced on Friday for the three best pieces […]
Read More →Accustomed to injustice (KIM radio)
Yesterday in the Media Center in Caglavica, a debate “We are still victims of violation of elementary human rights” was held, on the occasion of the International Human Rights Day, which is being celebrated on December 10, reported KIM radio. The debate was intended to show that human rights were violated in all segments, starting […]
Read More →“Reconciliation stalled, ethnic divisions grow in region” (B92, Tanjug)
Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muiznieks says that the reconciliation process in the Western Balkans has stalled. In his latest Human Rights Comment, Muiznieks also noted that ethnic divisions and polarization have been growing in the region. “These relate in particular to denial of genocide, glorification of war criminals and attempts to […]
Read More →Kozarev and Melzer on establishing the rule of law in Kosovo (RTK2)
Deputy Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Dusan Kozarev met today Nils Melzer, the Special Rapporteur of the UN Human Rights Council on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, reports RTK2. During the meeting, Melzer was informed about the violations of the human rights of Serbs and other non-Albanians […]
Read More →OHCHR: The missing in Kosovo receive renewed attention
It has been nearly 18 years since Natasa Scepanovic has seen her parents. The couple were living in Istok, a town in Kosovo*. After the war that ripped the area apart, Scepanovic’s parents, ethnic Serbians, remained in the town they had lived in, believing that the conflict was over and they were safe. They knew […]
Read More →CoE Commissioner for Human rights: Justice, social cohesion and media freedom remain top challenges in Kosovo*
The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muižnieks says that eighteen years after the end of the conflict, thousands of people are still denied justice in Kosovo. He states that it is high time to change course and to build a just and cohesive society. He lists as major conditions to achieve this, […]
Read More →Thaci welcomes State Department’s report on human rights
President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, hailed today the report of the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor on Human Rights Practices saying it identified progress as well as challenges in protection of human rights. In a Facebook post, Thaci wrote: “It is regrettable that the first problem mentioned is violence in […]
Read More →Council of Europe Says Kosovo War Victims ‘Ignored’ (Balkan Insight)
Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muiznieks said the plight of Kosovo war victims is being ignored amid the ongoing political discussions about the country’s future. s Muiznieks said on Thursday after a four-day visit to Kosovo that war victims and their human rights should be placed “at the centre of the political […]
Read More →All talk, no action: Human rights in Kosovo in 2016 (Kosovo 2.0)
Though rhetoric has been positive, little benefit has been felt by Kosovo’s vulnerable communities this year. 2016 marked another year full of speeches from Kosovar leaders trying to portray themselves as promoters of a multicultural country that guarantees equal rights to everybody, while the institutions they lead failed again to provide a better living for […]
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