As delivered by Jessica Carl
29th Session of the Human Rights Council’s UPR
Geneva, January 24, 2018
The United States warmly welcomes the Serbian delegation to the UPR Working Group.
The United States thanks Serbia for its efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to the numerous refugees and asylum seekers who transited or remain in the country.
We are deeply concerned, however, by threats and violence targeted towards independent journalists and civil society activists in the country.
Members of ethnic minority groups, particularly Roma, face widespread discrimination and unequal access to education.
We also remain concerned by the lack of progress in bringing to justice the perpetrators of the 1999 murders of the Bytyqi Brothers.
Bearing in mind these concerns, we recommend that Serbia:
- Fully investigate incidents of serious threats and violence against journalists and civil society activists, and hold those responsible accountable.
- Support efforts to ensure students from ethnic minority groups have access to school textbooks in their native language.
- Fully investigate and hold accountable those responsible for the 1999 murder of the Bytyqi Brothers.
(end statement)