TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE

21. 4. 2010. YIHR Croatia has been dealing with transitional justice issues since its establishment. Its first activities were related to promoting facts about war crimes among youth. Since then, YIHR Croatia has developed strong cooperation with other organizations (domestic and international), institutions and victims’ associations dealing with specific sections of transitional justice. It has become known in these areas as an organization very critical of anything other then the highest standards in prosecuting war crimes, paying respect to victims and informing the public about the war events.

YIHR Croatia’s Transitional Justice Program includes several main activities as follows: (a) documenting, researching and monitoring, (b) reporting, (c) memorialization efforts, (d) truth-telling and outreach and (e) the RECOM Initiative.

Documenting, researching and monitoring
YIHR Croatia is not performing over-all documenting of war crimes. It is focused on specific cases that have not been dealt properly (or at all) by competent authorities. By documenting these cases, YIHR Croatia is able to advocate for prosecutions that would ordinarily not take place. The organization is conducting researches about transitional justice processes to encourage their improvement. In this regard, it is dealing with a wide range of transitional justice issues. YIHR Croatia monitors war crime trials related to cases it documented.

Reporting
YIHR Croatia is publishing reports about variety of transitional justice issues. The volume and topics of these reports differ based on their focus. However, their purpose remains the same – to identify major problems as well as progress and to inform the public about them.

Memorialization Efforts
YIHR Croatia campaigns for building monuments and holding commemorative events for paying respect to victims of war crimes. YIHR Croatia advocates for memorialization especially in the cases that have not been accounted for and where victims do not have extensive support of the community.

Truth-telling and Outreach
YIHR Croatia is organizing round tables, media activities, public discussions and exhibitions with a goal of promoting facts about war crimes and giving victims a voice.

The RECOM Initiative
YIHR Croatia participates in the work of Coalition for RECOM. This Coalition is a network of non-governmental organizations, associations, and individuals who represent and promote the Initiative for RECOM towards the establishment of a Regional Commission Tasked with Establishing Facts about All Victims of War Crimes and Other Serious Human Rights Violations Committed on the Territory of the Former SFRY in the period from 1991-2001 (RECOM).