Kosovo: UN rights chief strongly condemns recent attacks as ‘heinous acts’

The acting United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Bertrand Ramcharan, today strongly condemned the recent series of attacks in Kosovo, calling them an assault on the crucial process of democratic reforms and appealing for an immediate end to the violence.

“These heinous acts underline the urgency of ridding Kosovo of criminal and destructive influences and of establishing a democratic society fully based on rule of law and respect for human rights,” Mr. Ramcharan said in a statement. “The perpetrators of these crimes must not be allowed to undermine the peace process and the efforts to build a multi-ethnic society in Kosovo.”

An attack on Sunday evening left one Serb dead and four others injured, and two Serbian teenagers were shot dead and four others injured while swimming in a river earlier in August.

“The acting High Commissioner encourages the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo and the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government to continue their efforts to improve the security situation in Kosovo, in particular through strengthening local police and measures to fight organized crime,” the statement added.