OMB ANNU UDSPERSON INSTITUTION Prishtina,2017 AL REPOR O M B U D S P E R S O N No . 16 T 2016 ANNUAL REPORT 2016 No. 16 Prishtina 2017 Table of contents: Ombudsperson’s statement .............................................................................................................. 8 Ombudsperson Institution ............................................................................................................... 9 Mandate of the Ombudsperson Institution .................................................................................... 10 Access to the Ombudsperson Institution ....................................................................................... 14 1. HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN REPUBLIC OF KOSOVO ................................. 16 1.1. Legislation ..................................................................................................................... 16 1.2. Judicial protection of rights ........................................................................................... 20 1.2.1. Delay of judicial proceedings ..................................................................................... 22 1.2.2. Prescription of cases ................................................................................................... 23 1.2.3. Non execution of court decisions ................................................................................ 24 1.2.4. Private enforcement agents ......................................................................................... 25 1.2.5. Lack of effective legal remedies ................................................................................. 25 1.2.6. Legal representation of citizens .................................................................................. 26 1.3. The role of executive organs in protection of human rights .......................................... 27 1.3.1. Property issues ............................................................................................................ 27 1.3.2. The Privatisation Agency of Kosovo (PAK) .............................................................. 28 1.3.3. The Special Chamber of the Supreme Court of Kosovo ............................................. 29 1.3.4. Kosovo Property Agency ............................................................................................ 30 1.3.5. Responsibility for Living Environment ...................................................................... 33 1.3.6. The rights of access to public documents ................................................................... 39 1.4. Rights of the child ......................................................................................................... 43 1.4.1. Legal framework and the rights of the child ............................................................... 43 1.4.2. Complaints filed concerning the rights of the child .................................................... 43 1.4.3. The right of children to education ............................................................................... 43 1.4.4. Children with disabilities ............................................................................................ 44 1.4.5. Violence and the security situation in schools ............................................................ 45 1.4.6. Right to health ............................................................................................................. 45 1.4.7. Rights of the child in procedures before administrative and judicial organs .............. 47 1.5. Freedom of religion in Kosovo ...................................................................................... 47 1.6. Gender Equality ............................................................................................................. 49 1.6.1. Right to employment ..................................................................................................... 50 2 1.6.2. The right to property and inheritance .......................................................................... 52 1.6.3. Right to health protection............................................................................................ 53 1.6.4. Domestic violence ....................................................................................................... 53 1.6.5. Rights of LGBT persons ............................................................................................. 55 2. EQUALITY BEFORE THE LAW –NON-DISCRIMINATION .................................. 57 2.1. Ombudsperson Institution as a mechanism for protection from discrimination ......... 57 2.2. Socio-economic issues ................................................................................................ 63 2.3. Minority communities ................................................................................................. 67 2.4. Property rights ............................................................................................................. 72 2.5. Education .................................................................................................................... 74 2.6. The Use of Language .................................................................................................. 78 2.6.1 Office of the Language Commissioner (OLC) ........................................................... 82 2.6.2 Complaints addressed to Ombudsperson .................................................................... 82 3. NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM AGAINST TORTURE (NPMT) ........... 84 3.1. Visits of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture in Kosovo ................ 85 3.2. Complaints of persons deprived of liberty .................................................................... 86 3.3. Conditional release ........................................................................................................ 86 3.4. Visit to the Detention Centre in Prizren ........................................................................ 86 3.5. Visit to the Detention Centre in Mitrovica .................................................................... 87 3.6. Visit to the Detention Centre in Lipjan ......................................................................... 88 3.7. Visit to the Correctional centre for females and juveniles in Lipjan ............................. 92 3.8. Visit to the Dubrava Correctional Centre ...................................................................... 97 3.9. A visit to Detention Centre for Foreigners .................................................................. 105 3.10. Visit to the Regional Police Custody Centre in Prishtina ............................................ 108 3.11. Visit to the border crossing point Prishtina International Airport “Adem Jashari” ..... 110 3.12. Border crossing point “Hani i Elezit” .......................................................................... 110 3.13. Border crossing point “Vërmicë” ................................................................................ 111 3.14. Visit to Special Institute in Shtime .............................................................................. 111 3.15. Visit to the Centre for Integration and Rehabilitation of Chronic Psychiatric Sick People in Shtime ..................................................................................................................... 113 4. SUMMARY OF REPORTS WITH RECOMMENDATIONS................................... 115 4.1. Ex officio reports ......................................................................................................... 115 3 4.1.1. Ex officio report no. 757/2015 concerning judicial decisions on abolition and remitting of ability to act to residents in Special Institute of Shtime and Community Based Homes ............................................................................................................ 115 4.1.2. Ex officio report no. 239/2016, concerning prescription of judicial proceedings and execution of decisions of Basic Courts in minor offence cases ................................ 117 4.1.3. Ex officio report no. 488/2016 concerning termination of investigation of criminal offences of corruption in conformity with Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Kosovo, Article 159 .............................................................................................. 119 4.1.4. Ex officio report no. 415/2016 concerning lack of access to court building in the Mitrovica North, namely denial of the right of access to justice .............................. 121 4.1.5. Ex officio report no. 421/2016 of Ombudsperson Institution of the Republic of Kosovo concerning the right to life, in the case of B.R ............................................ 122 4.1.6. Ex officio report no. 425/2015 of Ombudsperson concerning lack of effective legal remedies .................................................................................................................... 124 4.1.7. Ex officio report no. 563/2016 of Ombudsperson concerning the procedure for the review of the Ombudsperson’s Annual Report according to the Rules of procedure of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo ................................................................. 125 4.1.8. Ex officio report no. 499/2016 of Ombudsperson concerning the failure to respect legal procedures during the recruitment process of personnel according to competitions advertised by Municipal Education Departments