A beginning of the end – catharsis of the crime saga
PACE - The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
PACE adopts resolution on illegal organ trafficking in Kosovo*, demands high-level support for international follow-up investigations
Strasbourg, 25.01.2011 – The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has called for international and Albanian investigations into crimes committed in the aftermath of the conflict in Kosovo, including “numerous indication” that organs were removed from prisoners on Albanian Territory to be taken abroad for transplantation.
Adopting a resolution based on the report by Dick Marty (Switzerland, ALDE), the Assembly demanded follow-up investigations into indications of secret detention centres under the control of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) and disappearances linked to the Kosovo war, as well as “the collusion so often complained of between organised criminal groups and political circles”.
It called for EULEX, the EU mission in Kosovo, be given a clear mandate, the resources and high-level political support it needed to carry out its “extraordinarily complex and important role”. In particular, the Assembly emphasised the need for effective witness protection programmes.
The parliamentarians said the “appalling crimes committed by Serbian forces” had stirred up very strong feelings worldwide, giving rise to the assumption that it was invariably one side which were the perpetrators of crimes and the other side the victims. “The reality is less clear-cut and more complex,” the resolution reads. “There cannot be one justice for the winners and another for the losers.”
The resolution calls on the Albanian authorities and Kosovo administration to “co-operate unreservedly” with EULEX or any other international body mandated to find out the truth about crimes linked to the conflict in Kosovo, irrespective of the origins of the suspects or victims.
Parliamentary Assembly Communication Unit
(*) All reference to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, in this text shall be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.
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The Parliamentary Assembly brings together 318 members from the national parliaments of the 47 member states.
President: Mevlüt Çavusoglu (Turkey, EDG) - Secretary General of the Assembly: Mateo Sorinas.
Political groups: EPP/CD (Group of the European People's Party); SOC (Socialist Group); EDG (European Democrat Group); ALDE (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe); UEL (Group of the Unified European Left).
President: Mevlüt Çavusoglu (Turkey, EDG) - Secretary General of the Assembly: Mateo Sorinas.
Political groups: EPP/CD (Group of the European People's Party); SOC (Socialist Group); EDG (European Democrat Group); ALDE (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe); UEL (Group of the Unified European Left).
Parliamentary Assembly Communication Unit
Tel: +33 3 88 41 31 93
Fax : +33 3 90 21 41 34pace.com@coe.int
assembly.coe.int
Tel: +33 3 88 41 31 93
Fax : +33 3 90 21 41 34pace.com@coe.int
assembly.coe.int
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References:
1. Full Information Guide of Plenary session of PACE - The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe for period 24 – 28 January 2011. http://assembly.coe.int/Documents/WorkingDocs/Doc10/EDOC12436.pdf
2. Full text of PACE resolution accepted by Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. http://assembly.coe.int/ASP/NewsManager/EMB_NewsManagerView.asp?ID=6267&L=2
3. Full text of Resolution No: 1782 in regard to Investigation of allegations of inhuman treatment of people and illicit trafficking in human organs in Kosovo - Resolution 1782 (2011). http://assembly.coe.int/Mainf.asp?link=/Documents/AdoptedText/ta11/ERES1782.htm
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