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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

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Serbia signs European Convention on Compensation of Victims of Violent Criminal Acts

Belgrade/Strasbourg, 12 October 2010

Minister of Justice Snezana Malovic and Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland signed the European Convention on Compensation of Victims of Violent Criminal Acts and the European Convention on the Non-Application of Statutory Limitations to Crimes against Humanity and War Crimes in Strasbourg today.

Malovic told Tanjug news agency that at the meeting Jagland welcomed the holding of the Pride Parade in Belgrade and the way in which Serbia managed to protect the freedom of speech despite all security challenges and the riots that took place.

The Minister underlined that she and Jagland agreed that the violence that occurred on Belgrade streets is intolerable and she also highlighted that the Serbian authorities are resolved to press charges against all those who organised and carried out any such criminal acts.

With the signing of the European Convention on Compensation of Victims of Violent Criminal Acts and the European Convention on the Non-Application of Statutory Limitations to Crimes against Humanity and War Crimes, the monitoring procedure of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly has been wrapped up.

By adopting and signing the European Convention on Compensation of Victims of Violent Criminal Acts, Serbia will establish a system for compensating victims of violent criminal acts who suffered heavy bodily injuries or whose health was affected, even in cases when the perpetrator has not been identified or cannot pay them the compensation himself.

The compensation will also be granted to persons whom the victim supported before the victim was murdered in a violent criminal act.

The European Convention on the Non-Application of Statutory Limitations to Crimes against Humanity and War Crimes envisages that the state adopts the necessary measures to prevent statutory limitations of these crimes.

The Serbian legislature has been harmonised with this Convention because the Serbian Constitution envisages no statutory limitations when it comes to legal persecution and execution of sentences for war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity.