NGO reacts to "belated dismissal" of police official

NGO reacts to "belated dismissal" of police official

BELGRADE -- Head of the Interior Interior (MUP) Protection Unit for Participants in Criminal Proceedings Miloš Perovid was dismissed from this position on June 6.

The Humanitarian Law Center (HLC) said in a statement that the dismissal of this official - who held the position since 2008 - even though late, is significant for the reform of the witness protection system in cases of war crimes, but that it must be followed by serious reforms of the Unit and the protection system.

The statement added:

The Unit was established in 2005 by the Law on the Protection Program for Participants in Criminal Proceedings. When it comes to cases of war crimes, its work has been marked by some serious violations of the law and the endangering of persons under protection, which has resulted in insider witnesses, who were willing to speak up about war crimes, being deterred from testifying. The criticism mainly refers to the unprofessional behavior of its members and the inadequate legal framework which regulates the position of protected persons and the monitoring of the work of the Unit.

The most serious problems refer to the manner in which the members of the Unit treat former members of the armed forces - that is to say, insider witnesses. A number of former members of the armed forces who were part of the Protection Program spoke in public about the threats, insults and psychological abuse of their families and of themselves personally by members of the Unit. One witness spoke about the threats and pressure he received from one high-ranking official responsible for his security. Two protected witnesses have left the Program so far.

Certain witnesses complained...