Amnesty International blasts justice system failure in Kosovo

"Hundreds of cases of war crimes, crimes against humanity (including
rapes and enforced disappearances), as well as other inter-ethnic crimes
remain unresolved seven years after the United Nations began its efforts to
rebuild the Kosovo judicial system. Hundreds of cases have been closed, for
want of evidence that was neither promptly nor effectively gathered.
Relatives of missing people report that they have been interviewed too many
times by international police and prosecutors new to their case, yet no
progress is ever made," said Sian Jones, Amnesty International's researcher
on Kosovo.

"Regrettably, the performance over more than seven years of the
International Judges and Prosecutors Program has failed to meet
expectations. Local prosecutors and judges are still not prepared for cases
involving crimes under international law. Legal reforms essential for such
cases still have not been enacted into law. No date has been set for
completing the rebuilding of the justice system so that it can operate
without a continuing international component," said Jones.

Amnesty International said that the model of internationalizing
national courts by importing, on a temporary basis, experienced
international staff to work alongside national staff in all parts of the
collapsed or damaged national justice system is still one that could prove
effective in the long-term to investigate and prosecute large numbers of
crimes under international law, provide reparations to victims and
re-establish the rule of law through a reconstituted judicial system.

"Sadly however, the structure and operation of the International Judges
and Prosecutors Program have been so flawed from its inception that the
example in Kosovo cannot serve as a model for internationalizing national
judicial systems without major changes", the AI said.

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