John Clint Williamson appointed as lead prosecutor for EULEX special investigative task force

U.S. diplomat John was appointed as EULEX lead prosecutor for investigation into human organ trafficking allegations.

(KosovoCompromise Staff) Tuesday, August 30, 2011

The special team will look into the accusations made by Swiss senator Dick Marty in a Council of Europe report, which was first made public in December 2010, reads a release issued by EULEX.

It is highly important that American diplomat John Clint Williamson was appointed as lead prosecutor for EULEX special investigative task force, EULEX spokesman Nicholas Hawton told, adding that the official should shortly assume his duties.

He underlined that Williamson, who currently serves as a special expert to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, underwent the EULEX standard recruitment procedure.

The special team is not complete yet. The recruitment procedure is still underway, he explained.

It is important that the lead prosecutor was appointed, and that he can soon get down to work, Hawton said.

The special team will comprise 15-20 people, mostly prosecutors, investigators and administrative staff, he said declining to go into further detail.


Williamson was the head of Kosovo's Justice Department in 2001-2002 when the territory was under the administration of the United Nations and was tasked with overseeing Kosovo's prisons and the justice system.

"Finding those responsible for the crimes and checking everything that was mentioned in the report is positive for Serbia and for the people who live in Kosovo and who have been affected the most by the negative aspects of the allegations contained in the report," Borko Stefanovic said.

Serbia is advocating that the investigation into the allegations about organ trafficking in Kosovo be conducted under UN mandate.