ANNOUNCEMENT: Presentation of the Report on the Implementation of the National Strategy for the Prosecution of War Crimes and a public opinion research on Citizens’ Awareness of the Wars in the 1990s

The Humanitarian Law Center (HLC) and the daily newspaper “Danas” invite you to a debate regarding the “Initial Report on the Implementation of the National Strategy for the Prosecution of War Crimes” and a presentation of public opinion research on “Serbian Citizens’ Awareness of the Wars in the ’90s, War Crimes and Trials of War Crimes Indictees”. The debate is scheduled for Monday, December 18, 2017, in the Grand Hall of the Media Center Belgrade (Terazije 3, II floor) starting at 11:00 a.m.

In February 2016, the Government of the Republic of Serbia adopted the first National Strategy for the Prosecution of War Crimes (Strategy) for the period 2016-2020. The HLC has been monitoring the implementation of the Strategy from the beginning, with the aim of offering independent research findings and conclusions on its implementation. The findings of the HLC are at the same time the only insight into the implementation of the Strategy, since the establishment of the official body for its monitoring has been delayed for 18 months, so that the public is still deprived of information on the implementation of the measures and activities envisaged.

The HLC’s Report on the Implementation of the National Strategy for the Prosecution of War Crimes provides an overview of the current situation in the eight fields covered by the Strategy, points out key weaknesses and identifies recommendations for improving the situation in those fields.

For the first time since 2011, the Research on Public Opinion represents citizens’ views on war crimes trials before domestic courts and the Hague Tribunal, as well as on the opening of the archives, regional co-operation of the judiciary, political rehabilitation of war crimes perpetrators, compensation for victims, establishing memorials, and reform of the educational programme, and speaks about the perceptions of guilt and responsibility for the crimes committed and the general public’s level of awareness with regard to the  wars and crimes of the 1990s.

Representatives of the judiciary, competent ministries and government bodies, independent institutions, non-governmental organizations, the media, international organizations and embassies, and Members of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, are invited to the debate.

Speakers:

Višnja Šijačić, Humanitarian Law Center

Relja Radosavljević, Humanitarian Law Center

Jelena Diković, Daily newspaper Danas

Aleksandar Roknić, Daily newspaper Danas

Simultaneous translation into English is provided.