Families of the missing persons also have the right to justice

On the occasion of National Day of Missing Persons, the Humanitarian Law Center of Kosovo (HLC Kosovo) requires from the Government of Kosovo more commitment in shedding light on the fate of the missing persons, also requires from the relevant institutions to do more in addressing the criminal responsibility.

Over the last year and this year there has been progress in finding the bodies of missing persons, namely, researching, locating and opening the mass grave in Raska, where they exhumed the bodies of 52 persons that were reported as missing during the war in Kosovo. However, the number of missing persons is still very high and the institutions should increase their efforts to find persons whose fate is still unknown.

Moreover, HLC Kosovo expresses concern that the focus has remained only at finding the bodies of missing persons, while the institutions have failed to take steps in addressing the criminal responsibility for the same cases. Taking into consideration the large number of missing persons during and after the war in Kosovo, the number of cases proceeded in front of the domestic courts for such crimes is merely symbolic. There was no justice for over 99% of family members of these victims.

Although, the Government of Kosovo had promised that the issue of missing persons will be the subject of the dialogue with Serbia, but until now it has not happened, HLC Kosovo requires that the issue of missing persons be the next topic for discussion. Also in this dialog the Government of Kosovo must submit a request to find a solution for the judicial cooperation between Kosovo and Serbia, in order to start the criminal prosecutions of persons involved in these crimes.