by Shelby Vcelka

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

PRISTINA, Kosovo–

On August 3^rd, the Kosovo Parliament will vote on a constitutional amendment that will create an ad hoc war crimes court to try former members of the Kosovo Liberation Army that allegedly committed crimes during the Kosovo War.  After facing escalating pressure from the United States and the European Union, officials believe that there is enough support to pass the amendments necessary for the court’s creation, after a failure to pass the amendments last month.

No changes have been made to the amendments that were brought before Parliament last month, but President Isa Mustafa is confident that the amendments will pass.  At a recent cabinet meeting, Mustafa commented, “we have to be aware that we cannot build and develop this country if we are isolated by friendly countries. Voting for these changes in parliament will bring long-term benefit for Kosovo.”  The amendments, he believes, will be good for Kosovo and maintain powerful allies and ties the country has managed to obtain.

Veterans associations are opposed to the new amendments and the creation of the courts, as they find it insulting to the struggle for freedom against Serbian control of the region.  Many major parties are also opposed, as the creation of the courts would open investigations into party members.  However, members that were previously against the amendments are expected to vote in favor of the measures as international pressure mounts.

The court structure would entail the creation of special chambers to deal with specific allegations of atrocities committed by members of the KLA.  KLA members are accused of murdering, abducting, and illegally detaining Serbs, Roma and Kosovo Albanians who were believed to collaborate with the previous Serbian regime.  New allegations of atrocities are still coming to light, as more information is being uncovered.

US diplomats have warned the Kosovo government that the UN Security Council will set up the courts if Parliament fails to ratify the amendments.  Russia, Serbia’s ally and member of the Security Council, proposed the measure to the Council to protect Serbia’s interests in the region.

For more information, please see–

Balkan International Justice– Kosovo Govt Prepares New War Crimes Court Vote— 30 July 2015

Politico– Kosovo needs to show no one is above the law— 31 July 2015

B92– Kosovo: Draft resolution on genocide submitted to assembly— 31 July 2015

Balkan International Justice– Kosovo Sets Date for War Crimes Court Vote— 31 July 2015

Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty– Kosovo’s Government Urges Parliament To Set Up War Crimes Court— 31 July 2015

Reuters– Under Western pressure, Kosovo to put war crimes court to new vote— 31 July 2015

 

by Shelby Vcelka

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

BERLIN, Germany–

A German court sentenced Oskar Gröening, a 94-year-old former guard at Auschwitz concentration camp, to four years in prison on July 15^th on 300,000 accounts of accessory to murder from May to July 1944. A judge in the city of Luenenburg convicted the “Bookkeeper of Auschwitz” for his role in collecting and cataloguing money and the belongings of Jewish prisoners as they entered the camp. Gröening’s trial is expected to be one of the last trials of surviving Nazis for their atrocities in the camps.

Due to Gröening’s age, it is unclear how he will serve his sentence. However, his age was a factor in determining the length of his sentence, as the judge stated “he must still have the chance to spend part of his life in freedom after serving imprisonment.” The four years exceeds the three-and-a-half year sentence wanted by the prosecution.

Although Gröening did not dispute the charges against him, he admitted “moral guilt” for the murders that took place at the camp. He stated his belief that he was a “cog” in a Nazi killing machine, but was not directly responsible for the mass murders that took place. During testimony, Gröening commented, “Auschwitz was a place where you could not simply take part. I agree with that. I sincerely regret that I did not recognize that earlier. I am truly sorry.”

Throughout the trial, Gröening was brutally honest about the horrors he witnessed during his tenure at Auschwitz. He detailed how prison guards decided which prisoners would be killed immediately and which would be selected for work. During the two month period Gröening was convicted for, at least 137 cattle car trains rolled through Auschwitz. Of the 425,000 people that those trains carried, Gröning said 300,000 were immediately chosen for the gas chambers.

The 2011 conviction of concentration camp guard John Demjanjuk as an accessory to mass murder allowed German prosecutors to seek out charges against other former Nazis. Previously, a prison guard had to be convicted of a specific murder in order to be considered for charges. With the conviction of Demjanjuk, the pathway for more Nazi convictions opened, and allowed German prosecutors to seek charges against former officials even if a crime against a specific individual could not be proved. Gröening had faced similar charges in 1985, but the case was dropped due to a lack of evidence.

For more information, please see–

CBS– Auschwitz “accountant” jailed over Nazi killings— 15 July 2015

The Guardian– Former Auschwitz guard Oskar Gröening jailed over mass murder— 15 July 2015

Newsweek–Former Auschwitz Guard Convicted of 300,000 Counts of Accessory to Murder— 15 July 2015

USA Today– Ex-Auschwitz guard, 94, is sentenced to prison— 15 July 2015

Wall Street Journal– Former Auschwitz Guard Oskar Gröning Convicted on 300,000 Counts of Accessory to Murder— 15 July 2015

Washington Post– “Accountant of Auschwitz” sentenced to four years in prison for 300,000 deaths— 15 July 2015

 

 

 

by Shelby Vcelka

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

UNITED NATIONS–

UN Security Council held a session last Wednesday on a resolution that would have condemned the Srebrenica massacre of 1995 as a “crime of genocide.” The text of the resolution stated that the “acceptance of the tragic events at Srebrenica as genocide is a prerequisite for reconciliation.” Of the fifteen members of the Security Council, four members abstained from the vote, while ten voted in favor. Only Russia voted against the resolution. The resolution’s failure to pass marks a new low in international politics and relations among the Western powers.

This week marks the 20^th anniversary of the killing of 8,000 Muslim men and boys by Bosnian Serb troops in the worst massacre since the Second Word War. The victims were shot and buried in a mass grave after Serbian forces overran a safe zone watched by Dutch United Nations peacekeepers during the final months of the Bosnian War.

The Russian ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, described the resolution as “counter productive, confrontational and politically motivated.” He claimed that the resolution blamed the Bosnian Serbs for atrocities that were committed by all parties involved in the conflict. The resolution would further “doom the region to tension,” Mr. Churkin claimed, as Serbia was opposed to the motion. Russia and Serbia have close political ties.

Prior to the vote, the United States, Russia, and Britain attempted to come to a compromise on the language of the text. The American ambassador, Samantha Power, stated that the writers of the draft attempted to tackle many of Russia’s concerns, but Russia spurned the definition of genocide offered by the resolution. The vote had been pushed back a day to address other issues Russia had, but to no avail.

Serbia, who does not have a seat on the Security Council, has denied the allegations that the massacre was a “genocide,” and asked ally Russia to block the resolution. The denial is in spite of a UN war crimes tribunal in the Hague and other international courts recognizing the event as a genocide. Serbia admits that a “grave crime” was committed as it created closer ties with the West, but refuses to call acknowledge the legal definition of genocide.

For more information, please see–

BBC– Russia vetoes UN move to call Srebrenica ‘genocide’— 08 July 2015

Business Insider–Russia blocks U.N. condemnation of Srebrenica as a genocide— 08 July 2015

DW.com– Russia blocks UN resolution condemning Srebrenica ‘genocide’— 08 July 2015

New York Times– Russia Vetoes U.N. Resolution Calling Srebrenica Massacre ‘Crime of Genocide’— 08 July 2015

The Telegraph– Russia blocks UN resolution condemning Srebrenica massacre as genocide— 08 July 2015

by Shelby Vcelka

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

ATHENS, Greece–

On the eve of one of the most important referendums to date, tens of thousands of Greek citizens attended rallies in support for or against a measure that would allow Greece to stay in the Eurozone. Voters are being asked whether they support bailout terms from international creditors, and withdraw from the European Union, or if they would prefer to stay in the Eurozone and keep the euro as their currency. The referendum comes after five years of economic turmoil, and a default by the Greek government on their international loans on Tuesday night.

Greece first began to experience economic issues after the 2008 financial meltdown. In October 2009, Greece announced that their finances had been understated for years, leading European leaders to question the security of the Greek economy. As a result, Greece was locked out from borrowing in international markets. By spring 2010, Greece was veering sharply towards bankruptcy, which threatened to set off a new financial meltdown, and tank the European economy.

To avoid hurting the newly recovered economy, the International Monetary Fund, the European Central Bank, and the European Commission issued the first of two international bailouts to Greece in 2010. In total, the two bailouts amounted to $264 billion in today’s exchange rates.

However, the bailouts came with steep conditions. Greece was required to impose strict austerity measures, such as budget cuts and tax hikes. Other terms included making the government more efficient, closing loopholes for tax evasion, and making Greece a good place to conduct business.

The bailout was intended to give Greece more time to stabilize their economy, and to help the country pay off their international debts. While these loans have helped some, Greece’s problems have not lessened. The economy has shrunk a quarter since 2010, and unemployment is well above 25%.

Currently, the Greek banks are able to pay off international debts on paper, but lending is at a halt. They cannot finance the economy properly, since they are operating on foreign money. There is no money available for new loans, and customers have already used most of the money available in limited withdrawals.   As a result, banks have been closed for the week.

Sunday’s referendum will have profound political and economic consequences. The current Prime Minister of Greece, Alexi Tsipras, has encouraged voters to vote “No” on the referendum, believing that the imposed austerity measures had created a “humanitarian crisis” in Greece. To be effective, Mr. Tsipras will certainly need to act fast to stabilize a country on the edge of social and economic collapse. If Greece votes “Yes,” however, Mr. Tsipras’ government will likely breakdown, and a new coalition government will come into power with new elections.

For more information, please see–

BBC– Greek debt crisis: Tsipras and his Greek gamble— 01 July 2015

New York Times– Alexis Tsipras Budges on Greece’s Debt, but Meets a Cool Response— 01 July 2015

New York Times– Greece’s Debt Crisis Explained— 02 July 2015

New York Times–Greek Referendum on Offer That Is Off the Table Baffles Voters— 02 July 2015

The Guardian– A decade of overspending: how Greece plunged into economic crisis— 03 July 2015

The Independent– Greece debt crisis: What does a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ vote in the referendum really mean?— 03 July 2015

BBC–Greece debt crisis: Mass rival rallies over bailout vote— 04 July 2015

by Shelby Vcelka

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

BAKU, Azerbaijan–

From June 12-28, over 6,000 athletes will compete in the first-ever European Games, which is styled after the global Olympic Games. Prior to the Games, however, the host country, Azerbaijan, blocked a number of media outlets and human rights organizations from entering the country due to its history of substantial human rights abuses and a violent track record of suppressing dissent.

Amnesty International is among those organizations barred from entering Azerbaijan during the European Games. The organization had been planning to report on the recent suppression of free speech, as protests have erupted over the Games. However, shortly before Amnesty officials were to arrive in Azerbaijan, they received a message from the Azerbaijan Embassy in London on June 9^th, stating that the officials were no longer welcome until after the Games had ended.

At least 20 political prisoners are currently being held for exercising free speech and protesting peacefully against the European Games, according to Amnesty. However, activists within the country have drawn up a list of at least 80 names being held, with many more experiencing harassment, and seizure of property by local Azerbaijani authorities. Among those being held that are known are Khadija Ismayilova, an investigative reporter, and Intigam Aliyev, a human rights attorney for the European court of human rights.

Amnesty International’s deputy director for Europe and Central Asia, Denis Krivosheev, said, “The actions of the authorities have only highlighted their desperate attempts to create a criticism-free zone around the games. Far from advancing the goals of press freedom and human dignity enshrined in the Olympic charter, the legacy of these games will be to further encourage repressive authorities around the world to view major international sporting events as a ticket to international prestige and respectability.”

Azerbaijan has managed to repel criticism thus far by making powerful allies in international settings. By offering things such as free trips, expensive meals and other major gifts to Western European decision makers, as well as paying agencies to lobby on the country’s behalf, the Azerbaijani government has wrestled itself into a comfortable position within the Council of Europe to avoid condemnation of its policies. Its additional resourcefulness as a source of oil and gas makes Azerbaijan a useful alternative to Russian oil and gas. Member states of the European Union, looking to avoid Russian supplies, have subsequently turned to Azerbaijan. As a result of Azerbaijan’s successful marketing campaign and the reality of realpolitik, most countries participating in the games, as well as the European Union, have remained silent about Azerbaijan’s human rights abuses.

For more information, please see–

Washington Post– A letter from an Azerbaijani prison— 18 February 2015

UN Human Rights–“Azerbaijani activists must be freed before the Baku 2015 Games” – UN expert— 2 June 2015

The Guardian– Amnesty International blocked from visiting Azerbaijan before Baku 2015— 10 June 2015

The Guardian– Azerbaijan bans Guardian from reporting on Baku European Games— 11 June 2015

Newsweek– Games Put Azerbaijan’s Appalling Human Rights Record In The Spotlight— 12 June 2015

UN News Centre– Azerbaijan: UN rights office urges Government to ensure free expression and association— 16 June 2015