Register of Missing Persons in Serbia

FAQ

WHY THE REGISTER OF MISSING PERSONS OF SERBIA?

Since 2015, the Center for Missing and Abused Children has recorded dozens of cases of missing children who were reported to it, and who were quickly found and returned to their families by quickly alerting the public. These cases have supported the position of the Center that the involvement of the general public in the search through the establishment of the Register of Missing Persons of Serbia will significantly contribute to a better search for missing persons, primarily children.

Children are most often the target of pedophiles, human traffickers, so the disappearance of every child must be considered in that direction, in addition to those milder scenarios that “the child played”, “forgot to call where he was going”, “wants to show his revolt and dissatisfaction “. Because of their age, they are interesting for exploitation for pornographic purposes, for forced labor, forced prostitution.

Many children leave their homes because they are victims of domestic abuse.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SEARCH FOR MISSING PERSONS?

The Register of Missing Persons of Serbia is available 24 hours a day at nestalisrbija.rs. The register will be completed in accordance with the available data on missing persons to the Center. Within the data for each missing person, the citizens of Serbia will have the opportunity to leave information about the missing person in a specially designated field, and thus contribute to a better and more efficient search. The editorial board of the register is available 24 hours a day via the address info@nestalisrbija.rs

The Register of Missing Persons of Serbia was provided by the Embassy of Australia in Serbia

ABOUT THE CENTER

The Center for Missing and Abused Children Center is a non-profit organization established in accordance with the Law on Endowments and Centers of the Republic of Serbia, on June 2, 2015, with the basic task of improving the safety of children in Serbia.

THE FIGHT OF THE CENTER IN THREE STEPS

The Center took the first step in the started fight for greater safety of children by amending Article 72 of the Law on Police, which regulates the manner of searching for missing children. The change of the law in the public is symbolically called “Tiana’s law”. According to that change, it is no longer a matter of 24 hours, but the search for the missing child starts immediately after the report of the disappearance. Prior to the adoption of the law, in the practice of police work, that period was between 24 and 48 hours.

The second step of the Center began in March 2017 with the launch of a campaign to amend the Serbian Criminal Code, ie the introduction of life imprisonment for the most serious forms of serious crime that resulted in the death of a child, minor or pregnant woman. The goal is also that by amending the law, convicts who were sentenced to life imprisonment by a final judgment cannot be conditionally released from serving their sentences. The Center for Missing and Abused Children Center decided on this move after numerous grave and cruel murders of children in Serbia. The proposal to amend the law was submitted to the National Assembly on May 4, since when it is expected to enter the procedure for consideration and adoption.

The third step of the Center will begin with the launch of the Register of Missing Persons of Serbia, in June 2017. The goal of starting the register is the visibility of a large number of missing persons whose data and photos, apart from police records, are not available to the public. The Center is of the opinion that with such an approach, non-transparency, the general public cannot get involved in the search and contribute to the search for missing persons, primarily minors. By launching the register – the only database of missing persons from the territory of Serbia, the Center also raises public awareness about missing persons as an everyday occurrence.

In addition to changing insufficiently good legal provisions and major strategic steps, the Center has been educating primary and secondary school children throughout Serbia, parents and educators in its daily work since its establishment.