Presentation of ‘Serving Justice or Trivializing Crimes: Fulfilling the Right of Victims of Human Rights Abuses to seek Reparation before Serbian Courts 2012 Report’

A press conference anent the publication of the report produced by the Humanitarian Law Center (HLC) about the realization of victims’ rights to reparations in judicial proceedings in Serbia for 2012 will be held in the Media Centre (Terazije 3, 3rd floor) on Wednesday, June 12th, 2013 at 12:00.

The HLC has been representing victims of human rights violations committed during 1990’s in compensation lawsuits against the Republic of Serbia for more than a decade now. According to the findings of the HLC, courts still dismiss victims’ compensation claims in most cases, pronouncing them out of date or because they do not accept the evidence submitted by victims. Proceedings are very long – approximately five years, while judges generally treat victims and their witnesses inappropriately, openly defending the state. In rare cases, judges render decisions granting compensations to the victims; these decisions are mainly a result of the professionalism of certain judges.

The following persons will speak at the conference:

–          Tanja Drobnjak, attorney, Humanitarian Law Center

–          Petar Žmak, lawyer, Humanitarian Law Center

–          Dr. Saša Gajin, Faculty of Law, Union University

–          Senad Jusufbegović, former prisoner in Šljivovica and Mitrovo Polje camps

Moderator: Sandra Orlović, Executive Director, Humanitarian Law Center

The publication and presentation of the report ‘Establishing Justice or the Relativization of Crimes: Realizing Victims’ Rights to Reparations in Judicial Proceedings in Serbia – Report for 2012’ was sponsored by Civil Rights Defenders.

Simultaneous translation in English will be provided.

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