Rezolucija o neodložnom formiranju Međunarodne komisije za istragu ubistava i kidnapovanja novinara na Kosovu od 1998. do 2005. godine.

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Suočeni sa tragičnom činjenicom da više od dve decenije niko nije odgovarao za 19 od ukupno 20 ubistava, kidnapovanja i nestanaka srpskih i albanskih novinara i medijskih radnika i ekipe nemačkog magazina Štern, počinjenih između 1998. i 2005. godine na Kosovu (jedno ubistvo je rešeno pred Međunarodnim krivičnim sudom za bivšu Jugoslaviju (MKSJ));

Zabrinuto konstatujući da nijedna radnja nije preduzeta kako bi se zločinci priveli pravdi ni nakon Rezolucije Skupštine Evropske federacije novinara donete maja 2018. godine kojom se traži brza i efikasna istraga ovih zločina;

Uznemireni što efikasnih istraga nije bilo ni nakon što su informacije o ovim zločinima uključene na Platformu Saveta Evrope za zaštitu novinarstva i bezbednost novinara avgusta 2018. godine;  

Uzimajući u obzir da je i decembra 2018. godine Ministarski savet OEBS-a usvojio Deklaraciju kojim poziva na javno i nedvosmisleno osuđivanje napada i nasilja nad novinarima i preduzimanje delotvornih mera kako bi se okončala nekažnjivost zločina nad novinarima;

Podsećajući da rezolucije Saveta bezbednosti Ujedinjenih nacija br. 1738 iz 2006. i br. 2222 iz 2015. osuđuju nasilje i zloupotrebe počinjene nad novinarima i medijskim radnicima u situacijama oružanih sukoba, naglašavajući međunarodne obaveze da se stane na put nekažnjivosti i procesuiraju odgovorni za ova ozbiljna kršenja međunarodnog humanitarnog prava;

Podvlačeći da Rezolucija Saveta bezbednosti Ujedinjenih nacija br. 1738 iz 2006. godine posebno podseća potpisnice Ženevske konvencije da imaju obavezu da traže i sude osobe za koje se tvrdi da su počinile ili su naredile izvršenje teškog kršenja ovih konvencija;

Ističući da Rezolucija Saveta bezbednosti Ujedinjenih nacija br. 2222 iz 2015. godine ponovo potvrđuje da strane u oružanom sukobu snose primarnu odgovornost da preduzmu sve moguće  korake kako bi osigurale zaštitu i onih „koji ostvaruju svoje pravo na slobodu izražavanja tražeći, primajući i šireći informacije na različite načine“, u skladu sa članom 19 Međunarodnog pakta o građanskim i političkim pravima, i dalje naglašava obavezu članica da sprovedu nepristrasne, nezavisne i efikasne istrage i da počinioce takvih zločina privedu pravdi;

Konstatujući da je vladavina prava i istraga ubistava, kidnapovanja i nestanaka novinara i medijskih radnika bila u direktnoj nadležnosti misije Ujedinjenih nacija na Kosovu (UNMIK) koja je imala izvršnu vlast od 1999. do 2008. godine;

Svesni da je od 2008. godine izvršna vlast vladavine prava i samim tim i odgovornost za istragu i procesuiranje ovih zločina prešla u ruke misije Evropske Unije (Eulex) i da takođe nije dovela do rasvetljavanja ovih zločina;

Imajući u vidu da je borba protiv nekažnjivosti zločina nad novinarima i medijskim radnicima ključna i suštinski važna za zadovoljenje pravde, ali i neophodnost za dalju zaštitu medijskih profesionalaca, kao i da je privođenje pravdi odgovornih za te zločine ključni element u sprečavanju budućih napada.

Skupština Evrospke federacije novinara podseća na ove činjenice i traži:  

1. Unajkraćem mogućem roku formiranje međunarodne ekspertske Komisije koja bi istražila ubistva,kidnapovanja i nestanke novinara i medijskih radnika na Kosovu u periodu od 1998. do 2005. godine:

– nestanak novinara Ismailja Berbatovcija 23. jula, 1998. godine, kada otišao na novinarski zadatak;

– nestanak Đure Slavuja i Ranka Perenića, novinarske ekipe Radio Prištine, na novinarskom zadatku 21. avgusta 1998. kod Velike Hoče;

– kidnapovanje novinara Nebojše Radoševića i fotografa Vladimira Dobričića, na radnom zadatku 18. oktobra 1998. godine kod Prištine;

– ubistvo novinara Afrima Malićija, 2. decembra 1998. godine u Prištini;

– ubistvo novinara i šefa Kosovskog informativnog centra (KIC) Envera Maljokua 11. januara 1999. godine u Prištini;

– nestanak Ljubomira Kneževića, 6. maja 1999. u Vučitrnu, dopisnika srpskog nacionalnog dnevnika „Politika“ i novinara „Jedinstva“ iz Prištine;

-ubistvo dvojice novinara „Šterna“, Gabrijela Grinera, Folkera Kremera i prevodioca Senolja Aljita, 13. juna 1999. godine kod Prizrena;

– ubistvo Aleksandra Simovića Sime, novinara Medija ekšn internešenela, 21. avgusta 1999.  godine u Prištini;

– ubistvo Krista Gegaja, urednika u RTV Priština, 12. septembra 1999. godine u Istoku;

– ubistvo Momira Stokuće, fotoreportera, 21. septembra 1999. godine u Prištini;

– nestanak Marjana Melonašija, 9. septembra 2000. godine u Prištini, novinara srpske redakcije Radio Kosova;

– ubistvo Šefkija Popova, 10. septembra 2000. godine u Vučitrnu, novinara “Rilindje”;

– ubistvo Džemailja Mustafe, 23. novembra 2000. godine u Prištini, novinara lista “Bota sot”;

– ubistvo Bekima Kastratija, 19. oktobra 2001. godine kod Prištine, novinara lista “Bota sot”;

– ubistvo Bardulja Ajetija, novinara i kolumniste lista “Bota sot”, na koga je izvršen atentat 3. juna 2005. godine kod Gnjilana, a preminuo je 25. juna 2005. godine;

2. Da u se u rad međunarodne Komisije za istraživanje ubistava, kidnapovanja i  nestanaka novinara i medijskih radnika na Kosovu u periodu od 1998. do 2005. godine, uključe eksperti u ovoj oblasti, predstavnici međunarodnih misija koje su u pomenutom periodu bili stubovi vladavine prava na Kosovu ( UNMIK i EULEX), kao i predstavnici tužilaštva Beograda i Prištine.

3. Da se predstavnici Upravog odbora EFJ-a, u saradnji sa svojim članicama, aktivno angažuju na podizanju svesti i obaveštavanju javnosti o 19 nerešenih zločina ubistava, kidnapovanja i nestanaka novinara i medijskih radnika na Kosovu u periodu od 1998. do 2005. godine, kao i da se aktivno angažuju na stvaranju uslova za formiranje međunarodne Komsije za istraživanje ovih zločina.

4. Da tužioci iz Beograda i Prištine sarađuju direktno ili uz posredovanje partnera od poverenja obe strane, na istrazi ubistava, kidnapovanja i nestanaka novinara i medijskih radnika na Kosovu u periodu od 1998. do 2005. godine, kao i da redovno obaveštavaju javnost o napretku na tom polju;

5. Da Specijalni sud za ratne zločine na Kosovu svojim mandatom obavezno obuhvati i slučajeve ubijenih i nestalih novinara i medijskih radnika;

6. Da Ujedinjene nacije sprovedu zaključke Savetodavne komisije Ujedinjenih nacija za ljudska prava (HRAP) objavljene u periodu od 2010. do 2016. godine, a u kojima HRAP konstatuje kršenja Evropske konvencije o ljudskim pravima u radu UNMIK-a, traži rešavanje slučajeva ubistava,kidnapovanja i nestanaka novinara i medijskih radnika u periodu kada je za istragu zločina bio odgovoran UNMIK i poziva misiju UN da javno prizna odgovornost za propust da sprovede efikasne istrage zločina tokom svog izvršnog mandata i odgovornosti;

7. Da Ujedinjene nacije omoguće obeštećenje porodicama žrtava, kao i da o tome obaveste javnost.

8. Da misija EULEX i Savet ministara EU, pod čijim okriljem je mandat EULEX-a, ima obavezu da javno saopšte zbog čega u izvršnom mandatu EULEX-a vladavine prava na Kosovu nisu sprovedene efikasne istrage ubistava, kidnapovanja i nestanaka novinara i medijskih radnika, počinjenih u periodu od 1998. do 2005. godine, kao i da Savet ministara EU istraži i ustanovi da li tokom izvršnog mandata za istragu ovih zločina, EULEX počinio kršenje Evropske konvencije o ljudskim pravima.

9. Da EU koja je preuzela obaveze da postupa u skladu sa međunarodnim rezolucijama, u potpunosti poštuje ove rezolucije i doprinese istragama ubijenih, kidnapovanih i nestalih novinara i medijskih radnika na Kosovu, kao i da o preduzetim koracima obavesti javnost.

Skupština poziva Upravni odbor EFJ-a da u saradnji sa drugim organizacijama, udruženjima, Savetom Evrope, Ujedinjenim nacijama i OEBS-om i drugim međunarodnim telima redovno prati istrage ovih ubistava, kidnapovanja i nestanaka i da o tome obaveštava javnost.

On the urgent establishment of the International Commission for the investigation into the Killings and Kidnappings of Journalists in Kosovo from 1998 to 2005

Tabled by UNS (Serbia)

Faced with the tragic fact that for more than two decades no one has been held accountable for 19 of the 20 killings, kidnappings and “disappearances“ of Serbian and Albanian journalists and media workers and the German magazine Stern team, between 1998 and 2005 in Kosovo (one murder was solved before the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, ICTY);

Noting with concern that no action has been taken to bring the perpetrators to justice even after the Resolution of the Assembly of the European Federation of Journalists adopted in May 2018, calling for a swift and efficient investigation of these crimes;

Disturbed that there were no effective investigations even after information on these crimes was included on the Council of Europe Platform for the Protection of Journalism and the Safety of Journalists in August 2018;

Considering that in December 2018, the OSCE Ministerial Council adopted a Declaration calling for a public and unequivocal condemnation of attacks and violence against journalists and for effective measures to end impunity for crimes against journalists;

Recalling that the United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1738 (2006) and 2222 (2015) condemn violence and abuses committed against journalists and media workers in situations of armed conflict, emphasizing international obligations to end impunity and prosecute those responsible for such serious violations of international humanitarian law;

Emphasizing that the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1738 (2006) specifically reminds the signatories of the Geneva Convention of the obligation to seek and prosecute persons who are alleged to have committed or ordered the commission of any act seriously violating these conventions;

Further emphasizing that the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2222 (2015) reaffirms that the parties to an armed conflict bear primary responsibility to take all feasible steps to ensure the protection of those “who exercise their right to freedom of expression by seeking, receiving and disseminating information by different means”, in accordance with Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and that it goes on to emphasize the obligation of member states to conduct impartial, independent and effective investigations and to bring the perpetrators of such crimes to justice;

Noting that the rule of law and the investigation of the killings, kidnappings and

„disappearances“ of journalists and media workers was the direct responsibility of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), which had executive authority from 1999 to 2008;

Aware that since 2008 executive authority for the rule of law and thus the responsibility for the investigation and prosecution of these crimes passed to the European Union Rule of Law Mission (EULEX), which has also not resolved these crimes;

Bearing in mind that the fight against impunity for crimes against journalists and media workers is crucial and essential for the administration of justice, but also necessary for the further protection of media professionals, and that bringing to justice those responsible for these crimes is a key element in preventing future attacks.

The Annual Meeting of the European Federation of Journalists reminds of these facts and calls for the following:

1. Prompt establishment of an International Commission of Experts to investigate the killings, kidnappings and „disappearances“ of journalists and media workers in Kosovo between 1998 and 2005:

– the disappearance of journalist Ismail Bërbatovci on 23 July 1998, when he went on a journalistic assignment;

– the disappearance of Đuro Slavuj and Ranko Perenić, a journalist team of Radio Pristina, who were on a journalistic assignment on 21 August 1998 near Velika Hoča;

– the kidnapping of journalist Nebojša Radošević and photographer Vladimir Dobričić, who were on a journalistic assignment on October 18, 1998 near Pristina;

– the murder of journalist Afrim Maliqi on 2 December 1998 in Pristina;

– the murder of journalist and head of the Kosovo Information Center (KIC) Enver Maloku on11 January 1999 in Pristina;

– the disappearance of Ljubomir Knežević, correspondent for the Serbian national daily Politika and journalist for Pristina newspaper Jedinstvo, on 6 May 1999, in Vučitrn;

– the murder of two Stern journalists, Gabriel Grüner, Volker Krämer and translator Senol Alit, on 13 June 1999 near Prizren;

– the murder of Aleksandar Simović Sima, a journalist of Media Action International, on 21 August 1999 in Pristina;

– the murder of Krist Gegaj, an editor at RTV Pristina, on 12 September 1999 in Istok;

– the murder of Momir Stokuća, a photojournalist, on 21 September 1999 in Pristina;

– the disappearance of Marjan Melonaši, a journalist with the Serbian newsroom of Radio Kosovo, on9 September 2000 in Pristina;

– the murder of Shefki Popova, a journalist from Pristina newspaper Rilindja, on 10 September 2000 in Vučitrn ;

– the murder of Xhemail Mustafa, a journalist with the Bota Sot newspaper, on 23 November 2000 in Pristina;

– the murder of Bekim Kastrati, a journalist with the Bota Sot newspaper ,on 19 October 2001 near Pristina,;

– the murder of Bardhyl Ajeti, a journalist and columnist for the Bota Sot newspaper, who was assassinated on 3 June 2005 near Gnjilane and died on 25 June 2005;

2. Inclusion of experts in this field, representatives of the international missions which were the pillars of the rule of law in Kosovo in the mentioned period (UNMIK and EULEX), as well as the representatives of the Prosecutor’s Offices of Belgrade and Pristina, in the work of the International Commission of Experts for the Investigation of the killings, kidnappings and “disappearances“ of Journalists and Media Workers in Kosovo in the period from 1998 to 2005;

3. The members of the EFJ Steering Committee should actively engage, in cooperation with the EFJ affiliates, in raising awareness and informing the public about 19 unsolved crimes of killings, kidnappings and “disappearances“ of journalists and media workers in Kosovo in the period from 1998 to 2005, as well as to actively engage in creating the conditions for the establishment of an International Commission of Experts to investigate these crimes;

4. Direct cooperation between prosecutors from Belgrade and Pristina, or with the mediation of mutually trusted partners, in the investigation of the killings, kidnappings and “disappearances“ of journalists and media workers in Kosovo between 1998 and 2005, and to keep the public informed of developments;

5. That the Specialist Chambers for War Crimes in Kosovo, within its mandate, must cover the cases of killed and missing journalists and media workers;

6. That the United Nations implement the conclusions of the United Nations Human Rights Advisory Panel (HRAP) published in the period from 2010 to 2016, in which HRAP found violations of the European Convention on Human Rights in the work of UNMIK, asks for the solving of the cases of killings, kidnappings and „disappearances“ of journalists and media workers during the time when UNMIK was responsible for criminal investigation, and calls on UNMIK to publicly acknowledge its responsibility for the failure to conduct effective criminal investigations during the period of its executive mandate and responsibility;

7. That the United Nations provide compensation to the families of victims, and inform the public thereof;

8. That the EULEX Mission and the EU Council of Ministers, under whose auspices the mandate of EULEX is implemented, has the obligation of informing the public about the reasons why during the EULEX executive rule of law mandate in Kosovo no effective investigations were conducted into the killings, kidnappings and „disappearances“ of journalists and media workers, committed between 1998 and 2005, and for the EU Council of Ministers to investigate and establish whether, during its period of executive mandate EULEX committed a violation of the European Convention on Human Rights by failing to investigate these crimes;

9. That the EU, which has undertaken to act in accordance with international resolutions, fully respects these resolutions and contributes to the investigations of killed, kidnapped and “disappeared“ journalists and media workers in Kosovo, and to inform the public about the steps taken.

The Annual Meeting calls on the EFJ Steering Committee to regularly monitor and inform the public about investigations into these killings, kidnappings and “disappearances“, in cooperation with other organizations, associations, the United Nations, the OSCE, the Council of Europe, the European Union and other international bodies.