Families to sue Del Ponte as Serbia Investigates Kosovo Organ Trafficking

Following revelations that former ICTY Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte received information in 1999 that up to 300 Kosovo Serbs may have been kidnapped and murdered to facilitate the sale of their organs on the black market,^[1] families of the missing indicated the planned to sue Del Ponte for inaction.^[2]

Simo Spasic, speaking on behalf of family members of the Serbs allegedly kidnapped and killed by Kosovo Albanians in 1999, reported that Del Ponte will be sued by the group for reportedly covering up the crimes. "In 2004, Del Ponte told us…that all Serbs kidnapped in Kosovo were later murdered, but she kept silent about her knowledge that before they died, their organs were removed," stated Spasic.^[3] "Del Ponte needs to explain why there were no convictions of the KLA leaders and why she never stopped it, the removal of organs from our loved ones, when she had information from many sources…who said KLA was securing the transport of the kidnapped Kosovo Serbs to Albania.”^[4]

Revelations about the black market sale of human organs came to light recently, as Del Ponte publicized her upcoming book, “The Hunt.” In her book, Del Ponte revealed ICTY prosecutors were notified that, after the end of the NATO bombing campaign in Serbia during 1999, the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) operated a human organ trafficking program using non-Albanians the organization abducted and murdered.^[5]

ICTY Prosecutors declined to pursue the case, citing the difficulty in investigating and prosecuting the allegations, but earlier this week Serbian war crimes prosecutors announced they would be opening their own investigation into the matter. According to Bruno Vekaric, Serbian prosecutor’s office spokesman, investigators have received “informal statements” from UN investigators, but insufficient evidence exists at this time to file charges.^[6]

Further information on abduction, murder, and trafficking human remains in relation to the laws of war can be found here.

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[1] Associated Press, Serbian Prosecutor Investigating Reports of Organ Trafficking During War in Kosovo, Fox News Online, March 21, 2008 (available at www.foxnews.com).

[2] B92 and Tanjug News, Families of kidnapped Kosovo Serbs to sue Del Ponte, March 23, 2008 (available at www.b92.net).

[3] Id.

[4] Id.

[5] Id.

[6] Associated Press.