The Annual Report of the European Commission for 2023 – Serbia Regresses in the Prosecution of War Crimes

The Annual Report of the European Commission for 2023 – Serbia Regresses in the Prosecution of War Crimes

EU report photo - 1On November 8th, 2023, the European Commission (EC) adopted an annual report assessing the situation and progress of the Republic of Serbia on its path to accession to the European Union.

Under Chapter 23 concerning the judiciary and fundamental rights, the EC report includes an assessment of the work of relevant state institutions regarding war crimes trials in Serbia, particularly the Public Prosecutor’s Office for War Crimes (PPOWC), their cooperation with regional and international actors, as well as the efficiency and dedication to criminal justice processes.


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BBC list of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world for 2023

BBC list of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world for 2023

nk-bbcAmong them, in the Politics & Advocacy category, are Rukshana Kapali, Nepal, Sonia Guajajara, Brazil, Monica McWilliams, UK, Summia Tora, Afghanistan, Sepideh Rashnu, Iran, Neema Namadamu, Democratic Republic of Congo, Bella Galhos, East Timor,Rina Gonoi, Japan, Maryam Al-Khawaja, Bahrain/Denmark, Christiana Figueres, Costa Rica, Tamar Museridze, Georgia, Iryna Stavchuk, Ukraine, Nataša Kandić, Serbia, Yael Braudo-Bahat, Israel, Michelle Obama, US, Shamsa Araweelo, Somalia/UK, Bernadette Smith, Turtle Island / Canada, Renita Holmes, US, Dehenna Davison, UK, Yasmina Benslimane, Morocco, Xu Zaozao, China, Alicia Cahuiya, Ecuador, Najla Mohamed-Lamin, Western Sahara, Sofia Kosacheva, Russia, Ulanda Mtamba, Malawi, Amal Clooney, UK/Lebanon and Gloria Steinem, US.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-02d9060e-15dc-426c-bfe0-86a6437e5234

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Crime at Ovčara – 32 years of avoiding responsibility

Crime at Ovčara – 32 years of avoiding responsibility

Deklaratat - 4On the occasion of the 32nd anniversary of the crime at the farm at Ovčara near Vukovar, the Humanitarian Law Center (HLC) requests the institutions of Serbia to prosecute the officers of the former JNA who directly contributed to the commission of that crime, to give up supporting war criminals, to bring to a satisfactory conclusion the years-long search for the mortal remains of victims, and to help enable the creation of a memory culture dignifying victims.


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International Conference on Digital Archives of Civil Society Organizations

International Conference on Digital Archives of Civil Society Organizations

DAC slikaThe Humanitarian Law Center in cooperation with the Global Initiative for Justice, Truth and Reconciliation consortium is organizing a three-day international conference titled “Enhancing Sustainability of Civil Society Organizations for Digital Archiving”. The aim of this event is to support civil society organizations from around the world in developing their digital archives dedicated to systematic and mass violations of human rights.

The conference will be held from November 1st to 3rd, 2023, in Belgrade, with the participation of experts and representatives of organizations documenting human rights violations from more than 15 countries, including Argentina, Ukraine, Indonesia, Spain, Croatia, Sri Lanka and others. The diversity of participants and the social and political contexts in which these organizations engage in documenting and digital archiving of human rights violations will provide a variety of perspectives and enrich the discussions.


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Reconciliation by Stealth: How People Talkabout War Crimes

Reconciliation by Stealth: How People Talkabout War Crimes

Kostovicova - slikaBook review: Denisa Kostovicova, Reconciliation by Stealth: How People Talkabout War Crimes, Cornell University Press, 2023.

Jasna Dragović – Soso

When it comes to the post-conflict Balkans, publications in the field of Transitional Justice are numerous. The region has been, as Eric Gordy and I noted more than 10 years ago, a veritable ‘laboratory of transitional justice initiatives’, although I think it would be fair to say most of the public attention has been focused on the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. In this context, it is worth noting that, over the last couple of decades, there have also been several truth commission initiatives, at the national and local levels, and above all, there was a regional initiative undertaken by the Coalition for RECOM, as this network of over 2,000 civil society organisations and individuals is known. Of all these various initiatives, RECOM has by far been the most original and also the most sustained project—spanning over a decade, and including, as Reconciliation by Stealth notes, years of consultations with various stakeholders across the region. It has thus attracted a fair amount of interest and scholarship, generating differing assessments of the project’s process and impact. Where does Kostovicova’s book sit within this literature?


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