27.05.2025. » 16:15 | ACDC
Reaction of CSOs to the Actions of the Kosovo Police: Request for the Opinion of the Ombudsperson and UNICEF
On behalf of the civil society organizations New Social Initiative, Center for Affirmative Social Actions, Advocacy Center for Democratic Culture, Institute for Territorial Economic Development, and Aktiv, we hereby forward the letters sent to the Institution of the Ombudsperson and UNICEF in Kosovo.
In the letter, we request their expert opinion on the actions of the Director General of the Kosovo Police and the Regional Directorate North, who, during a press conference held on May 25, disclosed photographs, including one showing a partially undressed young adult.
Both letters are included below. Please note that they are nearly identical and have not been translated. The letter to the Ombudsperson was sent in Serbian, and the letter to UNICEF was sent in English.
Sincerely,
Letter to the Ombudsperson of Kosovo, Mr. Naim Qelaj
Dear Mr. Qelaj,
On May 25, 2025, in North Mitrovica, the Director General of the Kosovo Police, Mr. Gazmend Hoxha, held a press conference regarding an interethnic incident that had occurred on May 23 in the same town, involving a member of the Kosovo Police. According to public reports, the officer allegedly exceeded his authority and used excessive force against a young adult from the Serbian community.
During the press conference, in an attempt to dispute claims that the injured student had visible traces of blood on his neck—claims the student himself had previously clarified in media statements—Director Hoxha showed the media a photograph of the student, partially undressed, reportedly taken during police questioning following the disputed incident. The conduct of the police officer in question was widely condemned by the public, including by the Head of the EULEX Mission, Mr. Giovanni Barbano.
We, the undersigned civil society organizations, consider such conduct by the police to be highly problematic, particularly from the standpoint of the right to privacy and dignity of minors and young adults.
In a small community from which the young man originates, obscuring the eyes is not a sufficient measure to protect his identity, and the public display of such a photograph could lead to stigmatization and long-term psychosocial consequences, especially at an adolescent age. Furthermore, displaying a partially undressed image of a young person in front of the media and the public raises serious ethical concerns, especially when it is unclear what legitimate public interest such conduct serves.
Finally, treating individuals suspected of being victims of police misconduct in this way discourages others in similar situations from coming forward and sends a message that the institution—starting from its highest official—takes a defensive rather than responsible and transparent stance toward citizens.
In this context, we refer to relevant provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, whose guarantees, according to its interpretation, also apply to young adults:
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Article 3: In all actions concerning children, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration;
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Article 16: No child shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his or her privacy, family, home, or correspondence, nor to unlawful attacks on his or her honor and reputation. The child has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks;
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Article 17(e): States Parties shall encourage the development of appropriate guidelines for the protection of the child from information and material injurious to his or her well-being;
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Article 37(a): No child shall be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment.
We urge you to consider this case within your mandate and provide your expert opinion on the conduct of the Kosovo Police in light of the above-mentioned international standards and applicable domestic regulations.
Letter to the Head of UNICEF Kosovo, Ms. Veronika Vaščenko
Dear Ms. Vaščenko,
On May 25, 2025, in North Mitrovica, the Director General of the Kosovo Police, Mr. Gazmend Hoxha, held a press conference concerning an interethnic incident that had taken place two days earlier, on May 23, involving a Kosovo Police officer. According to public accounts, the officer allegedly used excessive force on a young man from the Serbian community, exceeding his official authority.
In an attempt to refute claims that the student had blood on his neck—claims that the student had previously addressed in media statements—Mr. Hoxha presented the media with a photograph of the student, taken during a police interrogation, in which the student appears partially undressed. Both the incident from May 23 and the officer’s conduct have drawn broad public criticism, including from the Head of the EULEX Mission, Mr. Giovanni Barbano.
We, the undersigned civil society organizations, find this conduct by the police deeply concerning, especially regarding the protection of privacy and dignity of children and youth.
In the small community the student comes from, obscuring the eyes is not a sufficient measure to protect his identity. Such actions can lead to stigmatization, particularly at a vulnerable adolescent age. Furthermore, displaying a photo of a partially undressed young man to the media is ethically questionable, especially when no clear legitimate public interest is being served.
Additionally, this type of treatment toward individuals who may have been subjected to police misconduct may discourage others in similar situations from coming forward and sends a troubling message that the institution, starting from its highest leadership, adopts a defensive rather than accountable and transparent stance.
In this context, we highlight the relevant provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, several of which also apply to youth, according to international human rights law interpretation:
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Article 3: In all actions concerning children, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration;
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Article 16: No child shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his or her privacy, family, home, or correspondence, nor to unlawful attacks on his or her honor and reputation. The child has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks;
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Article 17(e): States Parties should encourage the media to develop appropriate guidelines for the protection of the child from information and material harmful to his or her well-being;
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Article 37(a): No child shall be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment.
We kindly request that you consider this case and provide your expert opinion on the actions of the Kosovo Police in light of the international standards mentioned above and the applicable domestic legal framework, within your mandate.
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