The UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) has voiced serious concerns about Serbia’s ongoing refusal to extradite individuals wanted by Kosovo’s judicial authorities. This issue was highlighted in the Committee’s latest findings published today, following a thorough examination of Serbia, Belgium, the Central African Republic, Gambia, and Malta.
In its report, the Committee made several key recommendations regarding Serbia’s obligations under the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. One of the primary concerns raised was the need for Serbia to criminalize enforced disappearance as an autonomous offense, review sentencing practices, and extend victim definitions to ensure comprehensive inclusion and compensation for all individuals affected.
A major issue pointed out was Serbia’s continued refusal to extradite citizens who are sought by Kosovo’s judicial authorities. The Committee also expressed alarm over the classification of key military and police archives in Serbia, which is significantly hampering ongoing investigations into enforced disappearances. The Committee’s report urges Serbia to prioritize bilateral and multilateral efforts to revitalize cooperation frameworks, ensure public access to archives, and resume dialogue with Kosovo on the 2023 Declaration on Missing Persons.
Furthermore, the Committee emphasized the ongoing concerns raised in 2023 by the UN Special Rapporteur on Truth, Justice, Reparation, and Guarantees of Non-Repetition. The Rapporteur pointed out Serbia’s reluctance to prosecute Serbian officials for crimes against Kosovo Albanians, noting the absence of any criminal charges for such offenses in the past five years.
Another critical point in the report was the 2015 Agreement on Regional Cooperation for War Crimes Processing and the Search for Missing Persons, which involved Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia. While this agreement aimed to foster cooperation in the search and identification processes, the Committee expressed worry over the stagnation of regional cooperation in recent years, particularly with Croatia and Kosovo.
The Committee has recommended that Serbia take all necessary measures to enhance judicial cooperation with Kosovo’s authorities and facilitate the prosecution of all individuals accused of committing enforced disappearances, including through agreements for case transfers.
In response to its concerns, the Committee reported that it has registered a total of 2,011 urgent actions related to missing persons cases and has called for the immediate protection and search for those who remain unaccounted for.
