Legal professionals in Kosovo learn how to access ICTY material under OSCE/ODIHR-led project

PRISHTINЁ/PRIŠTINA, 19 May 2011 – Staff from the Prosecution Offices and Courts in Prishtinë/Priština, Peja/Peć, Prizren and Gjilan/Gnjilane are attending four training sessions today on accessing and researching material of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY).

The two day course, which is conducted by the ICTY, is part of the War Crimes Justice Project led by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and funded by the European Union. The Project aims to strengthen the capacity of legal professionals in the region to handle complex war crimes cases.

“The Kosovo Judicial Institute supports this training initiative and is proud to co-organize it together with the WCJP. It is essential that national staff gain this expertise,” said Lavdim Krasniqi, the Director of Kosovo Judicial Institute.

Khaldoun Sinno, Acting Head of the EC Liaison Office to Kosovo said: "Addressing war crimes is among the most effective tools to stabilize and achieve lasting reconciliation in the region. As such, this training is a step in the right direction."

Romana Schweiger, ODIHR’s Regional Co-ordinator of the War Crimes Justice Project, added: “The training course helps local staff learn how to access publicly available material they need for local proceedings and how to request the Tribunal to provide further material not published on the ICTY’s website.”

The War Crimes Justice Project is a four-million euro regional project funded by the European Union and carried out by ODIHR in partnership with the ICTY, the UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute and OSCE field operations.

This project is funded by the European Union.

For more information please contact: Sanela Tunovic, War Crimes Justice Project Outreach Officer at: +387 61 539 535 or e-mail: at wcjp@odihr.pl.