Letter to the Prime Minister Ivica Dačić

Dear Mr. Prime Minister,

We write to you with regard to the decision recently taken by the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Policy (hereinafter referred to as the Ministry) to revoke the status of civilian victims of war for a number of victims of serious human rights violations committed outside the territory of the Republic of Serbia, and for members of their families. The decision of the Ministry was preceded by the letter sent by the Humanitarian Law Center (HLC) to the municipal authorities in Priboj with the request  to grant the status of victims’ family members to family members of the victims of the war crime committed in Sjeverin (the Municipality of Priboj), pursuant to the Law on Civilian Victims of War (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia 52/96). These are the families of 16 Bosniaks from Sjeverin, who were kidnapped in October 1992 in the place known as Mioče (BiH) while travelling to work in Priboj. They were kidnapped and subsequently murdered by the notorious Bosnian Serb unit known as the “Avengers”, under the command of Milan Lukić. The bodies of 15 of these victims have not yet been found.

(srpski) NUNS i NDNV osuđuju pozive na linč Nataše Kandić

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Fictitious statement falsely attributed to the Humanitarian Law Center in Pečat Magazine

An article entitled “Humanitarian Law Center Condemns Novak Đoković’s Humanitarian Action”, authored by Pavle Ćosić, was published in Pečat magazine, issue no. 276, dated July 12^th, 2013, in the Agency News Selected by Pavle Ćosić column. The Humanitarian Law Center (HLC) would like to point out that the article is entirely fictitious and the HLC never wrote or published the article the author refers to.

Humiliating Compensation for Kosovo Albanians Who Survived Torture by Members of Ministry of Interior

The First Basic Court in Belgrade rendered a judgment ordering the Republic of Serbia to pay compensation to the amount of 150,000 RSD each, to three Kosovo Albanians on account of its responsibility for the abuse and inhumane treatment these victims experienced by members of the Serbian Ministry of the Interior (MoI) during their unlawful detention in 1999 and 2000. The Humanitarian Law Center (HLC) stresses that by granting petty compensation amounts in these cases, the courts in Serbia are trying to minimize the atrocities committed during the 1990’s against victims of serious violations of human rights for which representatives of state bodies bear responsibility.

Criminal Complaint against Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Soldiers with regard to the Murder of 21 Albanian Civilians on March 25th, 1999

The Humanitarian Law Center (HLC) filed a criminal complaint on July 2^nd, 2013 with the Republic of Serbia Office of the War Crimes Prosecutor against Duško Šljivančanin, former Commander of the 53^rd Border Battalion of the Yugoslav Army and currently a representative of the Commander of the Yugoslav Army Land Forces Training Centre, and Vasilij Rangelov, a Sergeant in the Yugoslav Army and the Commander of the Goden Watchtower, and a number of unidentified soldiers from the 53^rd Border Battalion of the Yugoslav Army, with regard to the war crime against the civilian population committed on March 25^th, 1999 in the villages of Goden and Zulfaj/Zylfaj (the Municipality of Đakovica/Gjakovë).

Mark Kashnjeti Convicted

After a retrial, the Higher Court in Belgrade again convicted Marko Kashnjeti on June 21^st, 2013 to two years of imprisonment for a War Crime against a Civilian Population committed on June 14^th, 1999 in Prizren. The Humanitarian Law Center (HLC) holds that the evidence presented in the trial does not point to the conclusion that Mark Kasnjeti is responsible for the crime he was charged with and that the judgment is marked by errors made by the court in the evaluation of evidence.

Criminal Complaint for Murder of Nine Albanian Civilians in Vučitrn in April and May 1999

The Humanitarian Law Center (HLC) filed a criminal complaint on June 18^th, 2013 with the Republic of Serbia for the alleged commission of  a  war crime against the civilian population of  Vučitrn/Vushtrri in late April and early May 1999.

Victims’ Testimonies About Torture in Prisons in Serbia

On Tuesday, June 4^th, 2013, Nazmi Spahiu and Behxet Rrmoku, both victims of torture and unlawful detention, gave statements in the compensation lawsuit initiated by the Humanitarian Law Center (HLC) in April 2010 against the Republic of Serbia on account of the state’s responsibility for their torture in unlawful detention during 1999 and 2000. Nazmi Spahiu and Behxhet Rrmoku testified about the arrest and torture they experienced in prison, as well as about the consequences of the torture, from which they still suffer, and the long medical treatment they have had to undergo.

Criminal complaint for crimes against three Albanian civilians in May 1999

On 4 June 2013, the Humanitarian Law Center (HLC) filed a criminal complaint with the Office of the War Crimes Prosecutor against several members of the Yugoslav Army (VJ) for a war crime against civilians committed on 12 May 1999 at Savine Vode (Peć/Pejë municipality).

Testimonies of torture survivors before First Basic Court in Belgrade

On Thursday 30 May 2013, Agim and Sadik Limani from Glogovac/Gllogoc testified before the First Basic Court in Belgrade, in a case brought on their behalf by the Humanitarian Law Center (HLC) in April 2010 against the Republic of Serbia, seeking compensation for the torture they experienced in 1999 and 2000 while in unlawful detention. Agim and Sadik Limani testified about the torture they endured in Serbian prisons in 1999 and 2000 and the mental after-effects from which they still suffer.