Press Release: Preliminary Session - Human Rights Review Panel

The Human Rights Review Panel (HRRP) held its first regular session in Pristina from 9 June to 11 June, 2010.

The HRRP, upon the advice of the EU Council Legal Service, further reviewed its Rules of Procedure during the session. The rules were adopted as amended and sent to Brussels for the final approval of the Legal Service.

The HRRP also made a decision (HRRP Dec 1 /2010) to commence the receipt of complaints with effect from 9 June 2010.

The HRRP held meetings with the Ombudsperson of Kosovo, the Director of Human Rights and Communities and the Chief of the Legal Monitoring Section, OSCE, the Head of Office, UNHCHR, Kosovo and the Head of Office, Council of Europe, Kosovo.

In addition, the HRRP met with NGOs engaged in the human rights sector. The HRRP briefed the NGOs on its mandate and operations to date. This was followed by a discussion, inter alia, on the NGOs perceptions and expectations of the HRRP, the public awareness of human rights in Kosovo and the HRRP outreach campaign.

The NGOs volunteered to assist with this campaign and the HRRP decided to meet NGOs based at regional level as part of its outreach campaign during its session from 19 to 21 July

The HRRP also decided to hold its next regular session from 13 to 15 September 2010.

 

Notes to the editor;

The Human Rights Review Panel (HRRP) for EULEX Kosovo, as an independent accountability mechanism for alleged violations of human rights, will review complaints from any person claiming to be the victim of human rights violations by EULEX Kosovo in the conduct of its executive mandate. The HRRP is not a judicial or disciplinary body. The mechanism will solely look into whether a violation of human rights occurred or not and formulate recommendations for remedial action. The HRRP is independent in the exercise of its functions which it will perform with impartiality and integrity.