The UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence, Fabian Salvioli, will conduct an official visit to Serbia and Kosovo* from 22 November to 2 December.
During his visit, the UN expert will examine the progress made in redressing the legacy of serious violations of human rights and humanitarian law committed during the armed conflicts that engulfed the region in the 1990s.
Gross violations of international human rights law and serious violations of international humanitarian law were documented during the armed conflicts that affected Serbia and Kosovo. A series of national, regional and international initiatives in the field of transitional justice were adopted in the intervening years to address the legacy of those violations.
“My visit aims to learn about and evaluate the measures taken by the authorities in Serbia and Kosovo in the areas of truth, justice, reparation, memory and guarantees of non-recurrence to redress the harm suffered by victims, ensure accountability, find missing persons, and prevent new violence,” Salvioli said.
“During the visit, I will seek to have a broad view of the various initiatives taken, identify good practices, gaps and problems, and formulate recommendations in that regard.”
Salvioli will meet with officials from relevant governmental, legislative and judicial institutions, the independent human rights institution, civil society, victim groups, academics and representatives of the international community. He will visit Belgrade and Pristina.
The expert will present his preliminary findings and recommendations at a news conference on Friday 2 December at 10:30 am at the Media Center Terazije 3, Belgrade. Access will be strictly limited to journalists.
The final report on the Special Rapporteur’s visit will be presented to the Human Rights Council in September 2023.