REPUBLIKAREPUBLIKA E KOSOVËS E KOSOVËS INSTITUCIONIINSTITUCIONIREPUBLIC I AVOKATIT I AVOKATIT OF KOSOVO TË TË POPULLIT POPULLIT OMbuDspersON INSTITUTioN RAPORTINIRAPORTINTH A Inn NËNTËI NËNTËUAL REPO VJETOR VJETORRT 2008–2009202008–200908–2009 drejtuardrejtuar KuvenditKuvendit të Kosovës të Kosovës addressed to the Assembly of Kosovo Telefoni:Telefoni: ++381 ++381 38 545 38 303545 303 Telefaksi:Telefaksi: ++381 ++381 38 545 38 302545 302 e-mail:e-mail: [email protected] [email protected]: ++381 38 545 303 ueb-faqja:ueb-faqja: www.ombudspersonkosovo.orgTelefax: www.ombudspersonkosovo.org ++381 38 545 302 e-mail: [email protected] website: www.ombudspersonkosovo.org Published by: Ombudsperson Institution in Kosovo Computer processing: XHAD Studio Photos: Ombudsperson Institution Archive Printed by: “ORIENTI” Printing House - Prishtinë/Priština 2010, Prishtinë/Priština Content Foreword ................................................................................................................................................. 3 1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 5 1.1. General Aspects ...................................................................................................................... 6 1.2. The situation of basic human rights and freedoms in Kosovo ................................................ 7 2. Ombudsperson Institution ............................................................................................................. 12 2.1. The Mandate of the Ombudsperson Institution ..................................................................... 13 2.1.1. The interim measures and reports................................................................................. 14 2.2. The Ombudsperson ............................................................................................................... 15 2.3. Public Access to the Ombudsperson Institution .................................................................... 16 3. The fundamental human rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution of Republic of Kosovo .................................................................................................................................................. 17 3.1. Human Dignity ...................................................................................................................... 17 3.2. Equality before the law ......................................................................................................... 18 3.3. Right to Life ........................................................................................................................... 22 3.4. Right to Personal Integrity .................................................................................................... 23 3.5. Prohibition of Torture, Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment ..................................... 24 3.6. Prohibition of Slavery and Forced Labour ........................................................................... 27 3.7. The right to liberty and security ............................................................................................ 28 3.8. Rights of accused persons ..................................................................................................... 29 3.9. Right to a fair and impartial trial ......................................................................................... 30 3.10. Right to Legal Remedies ................................................................................................... 32 3.11. The principle of legality and proportionality in criminal cases ........................................ 33 3.12. Right not to be tried twice for the same criminal offence ................................................. 34 3.13. Freedom of Movement ...................................................................................................... 34 3.14. Right to privacy ................................................................................................................. 36 3.15. Right of marriage and family ............................................................................................ 38 3.16. Freedom of religion, belief and conscience ...................................................................... 39 3.16.1. Analysis of the situation in Kosovo ............................................................................... 40 3.16.2. Religious denominations in Kosovo .............................................................................. 41 3.17. Freedom of Expression ..................................................................................................... 43 3.18. The Right of access to public documents .......................................................................... 44 1 3.19. Freedom of Media ............................................................................................................. 44 3.20. Freedom of assembly ........................................................................................................ 46 3.21. Freedom of Association .................................................................................................... 47 3.22. Freedom of election and participation .............................................................................. 48 3.23. Protection of Property ...................................................................................................... 49 3.24. The right to education ....................................................................................................... 51 3.25. Freedom of Art and Science .............................................................................................. 52 3.26. Right to work and exercise profession .............................................................................. 53 3.27. Children’s Rights .............................................................................................................. 55 3.28. Health and Social protection ............................................................................................ 59 3.29. Responsibility for the Environment ................................................................................... 61 3.30. Interpretation of Human Rights Provisions ...................................................................... 63 3.31. Judicial Protection of Rights ......................................................................................... 64 3.32. Limitations on Fundamental Rights and Freedoms .......................................................... 66 3.33. Fundamental Rights and Freedoms during a State of Emergency .................................... 67 4. Ombudsperson’s Recommendations ............................................................................................. 68 5. Activities of Ombudsperson Institution ........................................................................................ 70 5.1. Activities of the Non-Discrimination Team ........................................................................... 70 5.2. Activities of the Gender Equality Team ............................................................................ 71 5.3. Activities of the Children’s Rights Team (CRT) ................................................................ 72 6. Cooperation: Conferences, seminars and workshops .................................................................... 74 6.1. Cooperation with National Institutions ...................................................................................... 74 6.2. Cooperation and Capacity-Building ..................................................................................... 75 6.3. Capacity-Building ................................................................................................................. 75 6.3.1. Study visits and training ................................................................................................ 75 6.4. Budget of the Ombudsperson Institution ............................................................................... 77 7. Statistical summary ....................................................................................................................... 79 7.1. Statistical summary of complaints and cases (1st of July 2008 – 30th of June 2009) ............... 79 7.2.Statistical summary of complaints and cases (1st of January 2009 – 31st of December 2009)..85 8. List of staff and organization chart ............................................................................................... 91 9. Abbreviations ................................................................................................................................ 98 2 Foreword With the adoption of the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo, the highest legal act, the Kosovo legislators delivered the most encouraging news for human rights. Beside the Constitutional Court, the Ombudsperson was listed as a Constitutional category institution. This act reflects the Kosovo society’s institutional commitment for human rights. The drafting of the Law for the Ombudsperson Institution, processing of the same in parliamentary procedure, public debates for the law, including also the civil society, media, different institutions, as well as interested