Five non-governmental organizations from northern Kosovo have jointly appealed to the Kosovo Ombudsperson and UNICEF, condemning the Kosovo Police’s decision to publicly display photos of a teenager during a recent press conference. The move came days after an incident in North Mitrovica involving alleged excessive use of force by a police officer against a high school senior.
The NGOs — New Social Initiative, Center for Affirmative Social Action, Advocacy Center for Democratic Culture, Institute for Territorial Economic Development, and Aktiv — issued a formal letter raising concerns about what they described as a “deeply concerning” act, particularly in terms of the young person’s privacy and dignity.
Their appeal follows a May 25 press briefing by Kosovo Police Director Gazmend Hoxha, during which multiple images of the incident and its aftermath were presented to the media.
These included photos of the student, his face clearly visible, being restrained by police, as well as images taken at the police station.
Although in some of the images the students’ face was obscured to reportedly protect his identity, others revealed his face clearly.
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“Public Exposure Raises Ethical Concerns”
The civil society organizations argue that even the partially obscured photos are insufficient to guarantee anonymity in a small community like North Mitrovica, where the teenager resides. They warn that such exposure could lead to stigmatization and long-term psychological harm.
“In an attempt to dispute claims that the student had blood on his neck—claims the student himself had already clarified in media statements—the police director displayed to the media a photo of the student, taken during police questioning, in which the student appears partially undressed,“ the NGOs stated in their letter.
They stressed that publishing such an image, particularly before determining the legality of police conduct, raises serious ethical and legal concerns. „Publicly showing such photos, especially involving a young person, cannot be justified by any legitimate public interest,“ they added.
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Citing International Standards
In their letters to Ombudsperson Naim Qelaj and UNICEF Kosovo head Veronika Vashchenko, the NGOs called for expert opinions on the actions of the Kosovo police. They also highlighted relevant provisions from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, noting that some protections extend to young adults.
Among the cited articles:
• Article 3: In all actions concerning children, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration;
• Article 16: No child shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with their privacy, family, home, or correspondence, nor to unlawful attacks on their honour and reputation. The child has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks;
• Article 17(e): States Parties shall encourage the mass media to develop appropriate guidelines to protect children from material injurious to their well-being;
• Article 37(a): No child shall be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Broader Criticism and Call for Accountability
The police officer involved in the incident has been widely criticized, as well as by the head of the EULEX mission in Kosovo. During the press conference, Director Hoxha emphasized that the student was not injured and that internal procedures were underway. He also claimed that the officer involved received death threats and accused Serbian authorities of targeting Kosovo police personnel.
Nevertheless, the NGOs argue that by taking a defensive stance, the Kosovo Police sends a discouraging message to potential victims of misconduct.
“Such treatment of individuals who may have been subjected to police misconduct can deter others in similar situations from coming forward, and sends a worrying message that the institution, beginning with its highest official, is adopting a defensive posture rather than demonstrating responsibility and transparency,” they wrote.
The organizations have urged the Ombudsperson and UNICEF to investigate the matter and assess the legality of the police’s actions according to both domestic legal norms and international standards.
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