Press Release
Number              05-2012
Date                   16.11.2012
Contact              John J. Ryan

The Human Rights Review Panel (HRRP) held its 13th regular session in Belgrade from 14 to 16 November October 2012. It was noted that there were 19 complaints pending before the Panel at the start of the session, six of which were ready for consideration by the Panel.

The Panel determined unanimously that one of the complaints was inadmissible. The decision of the Panel will be transmitted to the complainant as well as to the EULEX Head of Mission (HoM). It will also be published in due course on the Panel’s website upon translation into the Albanian and Serbian languages. Furthermore, the Panel determined five cases to be ready for communication to the HoM for further information and observations.  

In addition, the Panel extended its ongoing information campaign to representatives of the Serbian government as well as civil society in Belgrade and Nis. The Panel met with the Ministry of Justice and the Office for Kosovo and Metohija in Belgrade. Representatives were briefed on the mandate and activities of the Panel, after which the Panel answered numerous questions about its work and case-law and received information on the current situation regarding several Kosovo related issues. Representatives of both offices nominated liaison persons in order to facilitate future coordination with the Panel.

Additionally, the Panel met with representatives of several NGOs and international organisations, including the Danish Refugee Council, UNHCR, Group 484, Balkan Center for Migration, Regional Center for Minorities, Humanitarian Law Center and YUCOM in Belgrade. The Panel also engaged in discussions with the Nis Association of Missing and Kidnapped Persons as well as representatives from the Network of the Committees for Human Rights in Serbia (CHRIS).

The next Panel session is scheduled to take place from 14 to 16 January 2013 in Prishtinë/Priština.

Please see www.hrrp.eu for further information on the Panel and its case-law.

Notes to the editor;
The Human Rights Review Panel (Panel) for EULEX Kosovo, as an independent accountability mechanism for alleged violations of human rights,  reviews complaints from any person claiming to be the victim of human rights violations by EULEX Kosovo in the conduct of its executive mandate. The Panel 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. Such action does no include monetary compensation.  The Panel is independent in the exercise of its functions which it performs with impartiality and integrity.