On the final day of the Conference of the Institute for Crimes Committed During the War in Kosovo, Anna Di Lellio presented the findings of her decade-long research on sexual violence during the war. She emphasized the urgent need for stronger efforts in documenting these cases.
For over a decade, Di Lellio has investigated gender-based sexual violence committed during the Kosovo war. Presenting her research on Wednesday, she revealed that victims ranged in age from 9 to 70 years old.
“Crimes occurred everywhere, affecting individuals of all ages across Kosovo. It was a direct attack on integrity and human security simply because they were Albanian. We are talking about rape, mutilation, burning, and extreme violence,” Di Lellio stated.
Feride Rushiti, Executive Director of the Kosovo Rehabilitation Center for Torture Victims, highlighted the ongoing challenges in addressing these crimes.
“For 15 years, this vulnerable social group was excluded from legal frameworks, political discourse, and public recognition. It took immense effort to create the social space for survivors of wartime sexual violence to be acknowledged both publicly and legally,” Rushiti noted.
Kosovo’s Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Saranda Bogujevci, a survivor of the Bogujevci family massacre, stressed that Kosovo has yet to properly address war crimes.
“In terms of justice, we are far from properly addressing war crimes committed in Kosovo. However, responsibility does not solely lie with Kosovo’s institutions—it is crucial to highlight Serbia’s accountability in this matter,” Bogujevci said.
The international conference, “Scale, Legacy, Documentation, and Prosecution of Crimes Committed in Kosovo,” commenced on Monday, coinciding with Kosovo’s 17th Independence Day, and concluded on Wednesday.
