The Kosova Women’s Network expresses our deep concern regarding threats made against human rights activist Nazlie Bala. Yesterday, in the late afternoon, she received an anonymous letter, threatening her life. The letter was slipped under the door of her
apartment. It read: “Please do not protect the shame. Otherwise, we’ll kill you.”

The threat is directly related to her appearance on the Radio Television Kosova (RTK) show “Në kërkim” (“In Search”). On the program, she advocated for the proposed amendment to include persons who suffered sexual violence during the war in the existing law for all categories of victims of war.

The threat made against Nazlie Bala is a threat to all women and men who advocate for women’s rights as human rights; we have worked together and will continue to collaborate towards ensuring the protection of persons who suffered during the war.

On 8 March 2012, the Kosova Women’s Network entered the streets in protest with the slogan: “Forget flowers: We want justice for women and girls raped during the war.” Since then, many organizations, government officials and women’s rights activists have collaborated to encourage bringing this amendment to the Parliament of Kosovo. The proposed amendment to the law brings hope for women who have suffered for too long.

We wish to emphasize and inform the public that Nazlie Bala has been a prominent human rights activist since the 1990s. She began her voluntary commitment to human rights, working with the Council for Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF). For 23 years
since then, she has continually supported and empowered women.

Whatever the motive of those who seek to undermine the proposed amendment, we inform them that their efforts shall not succeed. All caring citizens will support the proposed amendments to this law: the amendments will ensure rehabilitative care for persons hit hard by the war while defending their dignity.