Kosovo

Civil Rights Defenders monitors the situation of the custodies and prisons in Kosovo and calls attention to violations of human rights. We also work to counteract political corruption and improve people’s access to justice.

• The role of civil society, citizens and media in the Western Balkans: Challenges as an opportunity

  2011-11-22 - Albania
  

  Civil Rights Defenders is organising a two-day regional conference in cooperation with Transparency International Bosnia and Herzegovina (TI BiH) on the theme “The role of civil society, citizens and media in the Western Balkans: Challenges as an opportunity“. The conference will be held in Sarajevo, November 22-23. Journalists, activists and civil society organisations from the [...]

• Human Rights Day – an important reminder

  2010-12-09 - Kosovo
  

  On the occasion of the Human Rights Day on December 10, and in view of the upcoming Kosovo parliamentary elections on December 12, Youth Initiative for Human Rights and Civil Rights Defenders call upon all political parties in Kosovo to increase their efforts in promoting the respect for human rights.

• Information campaign to increase voting

  2010-12-08 - Kosovo
  

  In the 2009 municipal elections Kosovo Serbs surprised everybody with their high turnout, and won in three municipalities where they were in majority. In the wake of the elections on December 12, we have initiated a cooperation with Kosovo Media Association aimed at trying to repeat this positive trend.

• Efforts to increase voter turnout

  2010-12-07 - Kosovo
  

  On December 12, 2010, parliamentary elections will take place in Kosovo, after a turbulent autumn. We have intensified our efforts to increase the participation of three specific groups that previously had a very low election turnout; the youth, the Serbian community and the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities.

• Creation and development of Centre for Investigative Journalism (KCIJ) in cooperation with ÇOHU!

  2010-11-17 - Joint initiatives
  

  KJIC used to be an integrated part of ÇOHU! but will from now on be an independent organization. Its main objective is to boost investigative journalism in Kosovo.

• Human Rights Watch joins us in appeal for Roma

  2010-10-29 - Kosovo
  

  Human Rights Watch appeals to European states to stop sending Roma back to Kosovo. In a report they point out that Roma who left for Western Europe but were sent back face serious human rights problems. We recently wrote an Op-Ed with the exact same message.

• Two years after independence Kosovo is still a “State of constriction”

  2010-09-29 - Events
  

  In May 2010 Youth Initiative for Human Rights in Kosovo and Civil Rights Defenders published a report which scrutinized different parts of Kosovo governance structures. The report titled “State of Costriction” questions whether the citizens of Kosovo feel free to follow their conscience and judgment. The report concludes that the answer to this question is [...]

• Human rights in Kosovo

  2010-09-01 - Analysis
  

  (Updated in September 2010) More than two years after independence Kosovo is far from being a state based on the principles of rule of law, democracy and human rights. Kosovo is today far from being a consolidated democracy but rather a state where ever more power seems to be consolidated around individuals, some government officials [...]

• Author of report attacked in media

  2010-06-01 - Kosovo
  

  The daily Express tries to blot our report on freedom of expression by drawing parallels between the life of the author of the report and the report itself. Together with a number of organisations we demand an end to the attempts to silence free speech in Kosovo.

• Freedom of expression is strongly limited in Kosovo

  2010-05-25 - Kosovo
  

  Together with YIHR in Kosovo we released a report which scrutinizes parts of Kosovo governance structures. Robert Hårdh, Executive Director of Civil Rights Defenders, attended the presentation of the report in Pristina.

• Fighting corruption – in cooperation with the Organisation for Democracy, Anticorruption and Dignity

  2010-04-09 - Joint initiatives
  

  Our cooperation with COHU!, the Organisation for Democracy, Anticorruption and Dignity, aims at influencing the law-making process in the field of anti-corruption. The fight against political corruption is carried out by identifying structures that make mismanagement and abuse of public office and funds possible.

• Providing access to basic human rights – in cooperation with Civil Rights Programme/ Kosovo

  2010-03-15 - Joint initiatives
  

  The purpose of our cooperation with Civil Rights Program/Kosovo is to provide free legal aid to vulnerable residents either from the majority community or one of the minorities, either living in Kosovo or as refugees in one of the neighbouring countries. The main target group however is individuals that lack personal identification documents.

• Monitoring detention centres and mental health facilities – in cooperation with Kosova Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims

  2010-03-09 - Joint initiatives
  

  Public administration has the power to deprive people of their liberty following procedures clearly established by the law. But when detention takes place outside the public scrutiny it opens the door to violations of rights of the inmates, as well as to torture and ill-treatment. We initiated cooperation with Kosova Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims in 2007, with the aim to monitor detention facilities and prisons.

• Fighting impunity and restoring dignity of victims – in cooperation with Humanitarian Law Centre

  2010-03-09 - Joint initiatives
  

  We cooperate with the Kosovo office of Humanitarian Law Centre in documenting facts about the conflicts in the recent past. Our aim is to build a comprehensive record of the killed and missing during the 1998-1999 armed conflict and the period of revenge killings against non-Albanians and suspected collaborators with the Serbian authorities in Kosovo between June 1999 and the end of 2000.

• Strengthening freedom of expression – in cooperation with Kosovo Press Council

  2010-02-15 - Joint initiatives
  

  By supporting the Press Council we contribute to ensuring the quality of media and to strengthening freedom of expression in Kosovo. Furthermore, our focus is to make the Kosovo public better aware of the Press Council’s existence and role, and to ensure the future sustainability of the Press Council.

• Reporting on Freedom of Expression – in cooperation with Youth Initiative for Human Rights

  2010-02-15 - Joint initiatives
  

  In Kosovo the situation for media and individual journalists has worsened. In cooperation with YIHR we decided to produce a comprehensive report on Freedom of Expression, with a particular focus on media freedom and on documented statements from journalists who have been subjected to threats and pressure.

• Providing high quality news – in cooperation with Kosovo Media Association

  2010-02-10 - Joint initiatives
  

  We cooperate with Kosovo Media Association to provide professional, balanced and unbiased news primarily to the Serbian population in Kosovo. The network reaches almost the entire Serbian community, as well as the Albanian population, in Kosovo.

• Decent housing for Kolonia settlers

  2009-12-23 - Kosovo
  

  One of the most significant achievements for Civil Rights Defenders in 2009 is our contribution to resolving the housing situation for one of the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities in the region of Gjakova, Kosovo.

• Increased threats against journalists since the independence

  2009-06-12 - Kosovo
  

  Independent journalists are exposed to increased threats and pressure since Kosovo declared itself independent in February 2008, according to partner organisations to the Swedish Helsinki Committee in the country. The latest in a series of examples is the assault on well known journalist Jeta Xharra. It is with concern that the Swedish Helsinki Committee notices [...]

• Anti-Corruption Organization Exposed to Harassment

  2009-03-19 - Kosovo
  

  The organization for Democracy Anti-corruption and Dignity (COHU) in Kosovo has the past time been exposed to harassment by the Kosovo authorities, amongst others, Post Telecom Kosovo (PTK). The Swedish Helsinki Committee urges that the authorities of Kosovo investigate the intimidations. The Swedish Helsinki Committee encourages Kosovo authorities to carry out a full investigation related [...]

• Parliament failed to appoint Ombudsperson

  2009-02-17 - Kosovo
  

  Kosovo’s parliament has failed to appoint an Ombudsperson. This has negative consequences for citizens claiming their rights against the authorities in Kosovo, says the Swedish and Norwegian Helsinki Committees in a letter to Kosovo’s parliament. Mr Kole Berisha President of the Assembly of Kosovo Stockholm and Oslo, February 16, 2009 The Swedish and Norwegian Helsinki [...]