Social cohesion is still hampered by impunity for war-related crimes, unresolved cases of missing persons, and lack of access to reparations for all war victims more than 20 years after the Kosovo war, said Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović following a visit to Kosovo from 30 May to 3 June.
Her report was released on Tuesday and also noted obstacles to sustainable returns of displaced persons and ethnic division in the country, according to a CoE press release.
“All civilian war victims, without exception, should have access to reparations, and safe conditions should be in place for victims of war-related crimes of sexual violence to come forward,” she said.
The Commissioner highlighted shortcomings in investigating, and prosecuting war crimes and said they should be effectively addressed.
Regarding missing persons, the Commissioner encouraged Belgrade and Pristina to resolve their disputes and cooperate on the resolution of the remaining cases, putting the families of the missing persons at the centre of all their considerations. More than 1,600 Kosovo Albanians are still missing.
Regarding media freedom, the Commissioner called for the full implementation of legislation, particularly relating to access to information. “Journalists should be able to conduct their vital work free from strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) and from violence. Harassment and impunity for crimes against journalists must end, including for the 13 cases of murders and disappearances of Kosovo Albanian and Serb journalists, which occurred between 1998 and 2005,” she said.
On issues related to women’s rights and gender equality, the Commissioner noted a significant gap between domestic legislation and the situation on the ground, due in particular to the persistence of deeply rooted patriarchal norms in society.
Finally, the Commissioner stresses the need for harmonisation of domestic law with the Istanbul Convention and its effective implementation, as well as for continuous training of members of the judiciary and law enforcement officers in this field.
