The meeting was organized in connection with the publication of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights’ Report on transitional justice and human rights.
The interactive dialogue also featured Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Yasmen Almashan, the president of the Caesar Families Association from Syria, and Leyner Palacios, a former member of the Truth Commission in Colombia.
High Commissioner Türk praised the efforts of UN member states to prosecute past crimes for the benefit of future generations. Reminding the UN Human Rights Council that 2024 marked the highest number of active armed conflicts since World War II, Mr. Türk also commended Colombia’s efforts to resolve animosities between the parties previously involved in the decades-long civil war in the country.
In her address, the director of the YIHR highlighted the problem of denial of war crimes and the glorification of war criminals in Serbia, which the YIHR maps annually through a series of reports called “The State of Denial”. Ms. Todorović also referenced the mass protests by youth in Serbia, led by students, demanding justice and accountability for the deaths of 15 citizens after the collapse of a canopy at the Railway Station in Novi Sad.
During her speech, the director of the YIHR explained that associations in Serbia dealing with human rights violations, especially those actively advocating for the punishment of war crimes, are exposed to threats, attacks, and media witch-hunts often led by institutional representatives. Ms. Todorović concluded her address by urging the international community to support the efforts of young people in Serbia in protecting the principles of the rule of law, peace, and democracy. She emphasized the importance of securing resources for youth organizations working on transitional justice, political support in the fight against revisionism, and creating new channels and platforms through which the voice of young people from Serbia will be heard in the international arena.
Yasmen Almashan, the president of the Caesar Families Association, lost five of her six brothers between 2012 and 2014 during the early years of the Syrian civil war. Ms. Almashan advocates for the truth about what happened to the more than 130.000 missing persons in Syria. “Victim participation is crucial for the success of transitional justice programs and strengthening a culture of human rights in countries suffering from dictatorship or undergoing a period of transition“, she said.
After the meeting, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights’ Office condemned attacks on human rights defenders, protesters, and journalists in the context of the mass protests in Serbia, calling for respect for freedom of expression and assembly.
Among the examples of good practice in transitional justice processes in the region, the work of our partner organizations from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network – BH (BIRN BH), and the youth association “Forgotten Children of War” was recognized. This group uses artistic practices such as theater and exhibitions to depict the stories of children born as a result of wartime rape.
