TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE IN SERBIA in the period from 2013 to 2015 Transitional Justice in Serbia in the period from 2013 to 2015 TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE IN SERBIA in the period from 2013 to 2015 1 The report was published with the support of the Federal Department of Foreign Aff airs of Switzerland. The views herein expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily refl ect the offi cial position of the Federal Department of Foreign Aff airs of Switzerland. Humanitarian Law Center Transitional Justice in Serbia in the period from 2013 to 2015 2 Humanitarian Law Center Transitional Justice in Serbia in the period from 2013 to 2015 Content Introduction......................................................................................................................................................5 Summary............................................................................................................................................................7 1. Criminal justice .............................................................................................................................................9 1.1. Findings of international bodies ..............................................................................................................9 1.2. Political pressure .....................................................................................................................................10 1.3. Institutional framework ..........................................................................................................................11 1.3.1. Strategy for the prosecution of war crimes in Serbia .........................................................................12 1.4. Uncovering and investigation of war crimes.............................................................................................13 1.4.1. Offi ce of the War Crimes Prosecutor ..................................................................................................13 i. Jurisdiction ......................................................................................................................................13 ii. Capacity ..........................................................................................................................................14 iii. Election of War Crimes Prosecutor ..................................................................................................15 iv. Effi ciency .......................................................................................................................................15 v. Command responsibility and crimes against humanity .....................................................................17 vi. Politically sensitive cases ..............................................................................................................17 vii. Regional cooperation .....................................................................................................................18 1.4.2. War Crime Investigation Service .......................................................................................................25 1.5. Performance of courts ..............................................................................................................................27 1.5.1. Legal and institutional framework ...................................................................................................27 1.5.2. Statistics..........................................................................................................................................27 3 1.5.3. Characteristics of trials ...................................................................................................................27 1.5.4. Sentencing policy ............................................................................................................................28 1.5.5. Participation of injured parties in the proceedings ..........................................................................29 1.5.6. Enforcement of sentences imposed on war crimes convicts ..............................................................29 1.5.7. The bad practice of frequently changing judges at Higher Court and Court of Appeal departments ......29 1.5.8. Proceedings conducted by the courts of general jurisdiction ............................................................30 1.6. Protection and Support for Witnesses and Victims.....................................................................................30 1.6.1. Procedural Measures for Witness Protection .....................................................................................30 1.6.2. Non-procedural Protection Measures ................................................................................................31 1.6.3. Victims Support ................................................................................................................................33 1.7. Visibility of war crimes trials ...................................................................................................................34 1.7.1. Public access to court documents .....................................................................................................34 1.7.2. Video Recording Banned during Trials ..............................................................................................35 2. Reparations ....................................................................................................................................................36 2.1. Material Reparations ................................................................................................................................36 2.1.1. Access to Material Reparations through Administrative Proceedings .................................................37 i. Legal Framework ...............................................................................................................................37 ii. Number of Benefi ciaries ..................................................................................................................39 iii. The Programme for the return of refugees and displaced Bosniaks from the municipality of Priboj ..............................................................................................................40 2.1.2. Pursuing Reparations Through Court Proceedings ............................................................................41 i. Legal Framework ...............................................................................................................................41 ii. Number of Cases ...............................................................................................................................41 iii. Characteristics of Court Proceedings ..............................................................................................42 iv. Redress Awarded to a Corporate Entity ..............................................................................................43 2.1.3. Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons ......................................................................................43 Humanitarian Law Center Transitional Justice in Serbia in the period from 2013 to 2015 i. Statistics ..........................................................................................................................................43 ii. Regional Housing Care Programme ...................................................................................................44 iii. Strategy for Resolving the Problems of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons ..........................44 iv. Initiative for Cessation of Refugee Status ........................................................................................44 v. Activities of Associations and Non-Governmental Organisations .......................................................45 2.2. Symbolic Reparations ...............................................................................................................................46 2.2.1. Apologies by Government Offi cials ....................................................................................................46 2.2.2. Admission of Guilt ............................................................................................................................47 2.2.3. Commemorations .............................................................................................................................48 i. NATO Bombardment ...........................................................................................................................48 ii. Operations Flash and Storm .............................................................................................................48 iii. Other Memorials to Serbian Victims ................................................................................................49 iv. Memorialisation of Non-Serb Victims ...............................................................................................50 2.2.4. Memorials ........................................................................................................................................57 i. Legal framework ...............................................................................................................................57 ii. Built Memorials and Commemorative Initiatives ..............................................................................57