Human rights in Croatia

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The armed conflicts in Croatia, what was then Yugoslavia during the 1990s were characterized by widespread violations of human rights and humanitarian law. The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) will have adjudicated only a relatively small number of cases involving the most serious crimes by the time it ceases operating. All other war crimes cases ^[1] — whether initiated domestically or referred back from the ICTY — will have to be tried by Croatia.

The experience of Croatia illustrates many of the concerns about the shortcomings of trials to date. Patterns observed by Human Rights Watch in war crimes trials in Croatia include:

• A hugely disproportionate number of cases being brought against the ethnic Serb minority, some on far weaker charges than cases against ethnic Croats;^[2]
• The use of group indictments that fail to specify an individual defendant’s role in the commission of the alleged crime;^[3]
• Use of in absentia trials;^[4] and
• Convictions of ethnic Serbs where the evidence did not support the charges.^[5]

The European Union, other European organizations, such as the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe, and those countries that have supported the important work of the ICTY all have an interest in seeing that the legacy of the ICTY is carried on successfully.

Contents 1 Human rights violations 1991-1995 2 Human rights practices in Croatia in the 21st century 3 LGBT rights 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Human rights violations 1991-1995

Croatia's declaration of independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in June 1991 was followed by an armed conflict between the Croatian Army and Croatian Serb armed forces, aided significantly by the Yugoslav People's Army (Jugoslovenska narodna armija – JNA). In May 1992 Croatia gained international recognition as a UN member state.

From early 1991 to 1995 large parts of the country's territory, in particular areas bordering Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia with a significant or majority Croatian Serb population, were under control of the de facto Croatian Serb political and military leadership of the self-proclaimed autonomous Republic of the Serbian Krajina (Republika srpska krajina – RSK). In January 1992 a UN-brokered cease-fire came into effect and in April UN Protection forces (UNPROFOR) were stationed in the areas under Croatian Serb control (which became known as UN Sectors North, South, West and East).

In May and August of 1995 the Croatian Army and police forces recaptured UN Sectors West, North and South, during operations "Flash" (Bljesak) and "Storm" (Oluja). During and after these military offensives, some 200,000 Croatian Serbs, including the entire RSK army, fled to the neighbouring Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) and areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina under Serb control (now the Republika Srpska entity).

In November 1995 the Croatian Government and the de facto Croatian Serb authorities signed the Basic Agreement on the Region of Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium (Erdut Agreement). This agreement foresaw the peaceful return of the remaining UN Sector East to complete Croatian Government control by January 1998, following a period of interim management of the region by the UN Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia (UNTAES).

During the first stage of armed conflict in 1991 war crimes and crimes against humanity were perpetrated on a massive scale by Serbian forces, as well as by the JNA. These violations included murders, torture including rape, "disappearances", arbitrary detention and forcible expulsions. Instances of mass human rights violations, which are among the most serious in the 1991-1995 conflict, took place in November 1991 following the fall of the town of Vukovar in eastern Croatia. After a protracted and destructive siege of the city by the JNA, its eventual surrender was followed by grave human rights violations, including murders, "disappearances", torture including rape, and the forceful expulsion of a large part of the non-Serb population. The fate and whereabouts of many of those arrested and detained after the fall of Vukovar remain unknown. According to official data, over 500 people are still listed as missing in the Vukovar County region, many of whom are believed to have "disappeared" during or after the fighting.

Between 1991 and 1995, many of those members of the Croatian Serb armed forces believed to be responsible for human rights violations, while technically within the borders of the Republic of Croatia, were not within its effective control as the territory was held by the de facto RSK. The Croatian authorities, who remained in control of the largest part of the country, also failed to respect human rights, which was manifested in their restrictions on freedom of expression, unfair trials of political prisoners and torture and ill-treatment in police custody. Isolated events of retaliatory violence against the Serb population that stayed within the Croat controlled territory were frequent between 1991 and 1993, with the Gospić massacre of around 100 Serb civilians being the most severe single incident. From 1992 until the "Flash" and "Storm" operations in 1995, there was no major escalation or renewed full-scale armed conflict but instances of killings, torture and arbitrary detention continued to be reported mainly against the non-Serb population in the UN Sectors and elsewhere.

In the aftermath of operations "Flash" and "Storm" widespread human rights violations, in particular murders, torture, and forcible expulsions were committed by members of the Croatian Army and police against Croatian Serb civilians who had remained in the area, and to a lesser degree against members of the withdrawing Croatian Serb armed forces. These human rights violations met with vigorous international condemnation.

Throughout the period of armed conflicts hundreds of thousands of people became internally displaced or refugees abroad and approximately 300,000 Croatian Serbs left Croatia during the 1991-95 conflict. According to estimates of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, more than 200,000 Croatian refugees, mostly Croatian Serbs, are still displaced in neighbouring countries and beyond. Tens of thousands of Croatian Serbs could not return and many returns were not sustainable (due to political, but also economic reasons).

The Croatian authorities had pledged to return illegally occupied property by the end of June 2004 and other occupied property by the end of 2004, as part of their obligation to award reparations, including restitution of property, to Croatian Serbs displaced by the conflict. However, the repossession rate continues to remain slow.

Many Croatian Serbs, especially those who formerly lived in urban areas, could not return because they had lost their tenancy rights to socially owned apartments. Lengthy and in some cases unfair proceedings, particularly in lower level courts, continue to remain a major problem for returnees pursuing their rights in court. Moreover, Croatian Serbs continue to face discrimination in employment, property claims and access to other economic and social rights. As of 2006 conditions are improving, especially due to Croatia's bid for membership in the EU, but a significant percentage of Krajina Serbs still remain displaced in neighbouring countries, and the return to pre-war levels seems less likely.

[edit] Human rights practices in Croatia in the 21st century

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The continuing impunity for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the 1991-1995 armed conflict remains the main human rights problem in the Republic of Croatia. The many perpetrators of such crimes committed against Croatian Serbs largely continue to enjoy impunity while the victims and their families are denied access to justice and redress.

Courts are still applying ethnic criteria in investigating and prosecuting war crimes and crimes against humanity and the Croatian judicial system has overwhelmingly failed to address violations allegedly committed by members of the Croatian Army and police forces.

In its bid to join the European Union, Croatia must ensure respect for fundamental human rights and the rule of law. The failure of the Croatian authorities to ensure that all perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity are brought to justice, regardless of their ethnicity or of that of the victims, and to award full reparations to the victims and their families, is a serious obstacle to the realization of these principles and rights. In the 2004 Amnesty International report on Croatia's human rights practices, concerns are detailed on the unresolved human rights legacy of the 1991-1995 armed conflict focusing in particular on:

• The failure of the authorities to investigate thoroughly and promptly allegations of unlawful killings and extrajudicial executions committed during the 1991-1995 armed conflict by members of the Croatian Army and police forces, and to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice in proceedings that meet international standards of fairness;
• The failure of the authorities to disclose information on the fate and whereabouts of Croatian Serbs who went missing during the 1991-1995 armed conflict and of victims of "disappearances", whose alleged perpetrators were members of the Croatian Army and police forces, and to bring to justice those responsible for the "disappearances".

The arrest of the former Croatian Army General Ante Gotovina is a major step in addressing impunity for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the 1991-1995 war in Croatia, Amnesty International said.

[edit] LGBT rights

Main article: Gay rights in Croatia

Homosexuality was legalised in 1977. The age of consent was equalised in 1998. Homosexuals are not banned from military service. In 2003, the Croatian government passed laws prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment and education, the distribution of homophobic materials, and defamation of homosexuality and homosexuals. Rights are conferred upon same-sex couples after three years, but registered unions are not permitted.

[edit] See also

• Plitvice Lakes incident
• Dalmatian Serb pogrom of 1991
• Kijevo during the war
• Lovas during the war
• Škabrnja during the war
• Gospić massacre
• Operation Medak Pocket
• Operation Flash
• Operation Storm
• Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union
• List of human rights articles by country

[edit] References

1. ^ Human Rights Watch (2004). ICTY:Justice at Risk.
2. ^ Human Rights Watch (2004). ICTY:Justice at Risk.
3. ^ Human Rights Watch (2004). ICTY:Justice at Risk.
4. ^ Human Rights Watch (2004). ICTY:Justice at Risk.
5. ^ Human Rights Watch (2004). ICTY:Justice at Risk.

[edit] External links

• Amnesty International USA - Croatia's human rights violations
• Human Rights Watch on Croatia
  • Justice at Risk: War Crimes Trials in Former Yugoslavia
• Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor on February 28, 2005
• Croatia Human Rights Practices, by the US Department of State in 1993
• Croatia - Commission on Human Rights
• Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - Croatia, by the US Department of State in 1996
• Censorship in Croatia - IFEX