Q:
A:
Witness protection in line with European standards
Belgrade,
2 October 2004
Serbia’s working version of the law on protection of participants in criminal proceedings is in line with European standards, an important step for handling organised crime and war crimes trials, according to a panel addressing the subject today.
Author:
FoNet
Serbian Minister of Justice Zoran Stojkovic said Serbia has never had a law to regulate this area.
Stojkovic explained that for the first time the persons eligible for protection will be defined, the institutions that can call for protection of a witness will be specified, and the measures of protection needed for such cases will be outlined.
He added that the law will also define the duration of protection programmes and allow for a possibility to extend protection after the end of a trial.
Head of the OSCE Mission in Serbia-Montenegro Maurizio Massari said the OSCE had helped draft this law, which he said will ensure that cases related to war crimes and organised crime are held in accordance with international standards.
Europol expert Roberto di Legamia said the law is in line with international and European standards in this field and added that witness protection should be applied when other measures prove inadequate.
The panel was organised by the Serbian Ministry of Justice and the OSCE Mission in Serbia-Montenegro.
Stojkovic explained that for the first time the persons eligible for protection will be defined, the institutions that can call for protection of a witness will be specified, and the measures of protection needed for such cases will be outlined.
He added that the law will also define the duration of protection programmes and allow for a possibility to extend protection after the end of a trial.
Head of the OSCE Mission in Serbia-Montenegro Maurizio Massari said the OSCE had helped draft this law, which he said will ensure that cases related to war crimes and organised crime are held in accordance with international standards.
Europol expert Roberto di Legamia said the law is in line with international and European standards in this field and added that witness protection should be applied when other measures prove inadequate.
The panel was organised by the Serbian Ministry of Justice and the OSCE Mission in Serbia-Montenegro.
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