Serbia

Abstract

There was limited progress in 2015 toward closing the gap between Serbia's human rights obligations and its practice. Serbia struggled in the face of increasing numbers of migrants and asylum seekers, with poor reception conditions, police abuse, and an inadequate asylum system. Journalists operated in a hostile environment that included attacks, threats, and lawsuits for reporting on sensitive issues. The pace of war crimes prosecutions remained slow. The Roma minority continued to face housing discrimination. Serbia saw a dramatic increase in the numbers of migrants and asylum seekers in 2015, many of them from Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq, seeking to transit through the country en route to Western Europe. Between January 1 and July 31, Serbia registered 66,428 asylum seekers, nearly 10 times the number registered during the same period in 2014 (6,974). Syrians comprised the largest national group (37,970 people). There are no reliable estimates as to the number of unregistered asylum seekers and migrants present in Serbia. Due to the significant increase in numbers of asylum seekers, Serbian authorities in July opened a new 300-person reception center in the town of Presevo on the border with Macedonia, bringing the total to six reception centers. But capacity remained limited, and many asylum seekers and migrants remained out in the open without shelter. There were credible reports throughout the year of police abuses and extortion against migrants and asylum seekers. In November, Serbia imposed border restrictions on migrants and asylum seekers, allowing only people from Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq to entry the country from Macedonia.