Serbian human rights lawyer fights for the rights of refugees and asylum-seekers

UNHCR has named Nikola Kovačević the UNHCR Regional Nansen Refugee Award winner for Europe for his dedication to providing legal assistance to refugees and asylum-seekers in Serbia.

Nikola Kovačević starts his workday as a lawyer not in a suit, but in a T-shirt and trainers. Day and night, he stands ready to jump in his car and rush to the field to help asylum-seekers and refugees in need.

Kovačević, 32, has devoted his life to helping asylum-seekers and refugees in their hour of need. He visits them wherever they are, talking to them to better understand their situation and offering not just free legal advice, but also helping them apply for asylum, to find shelter, job and access education and medical assistance, hoping they will find opportunities and a new life in Serbia.

Nikola represented almost 30% asylum seekers granted protection in Serbia, working in refugee protection since 2012. He met many who have been through a lot while escaping conflict and persecution, seeking protection. Many have been exposed to violence on their way to safety. He tracks cases long after they are resolved and remains friends with them, sharing food and learning about their culture.

Because of his exceptional dedication and substantial contribution to the improvement of asylum system in Serbia, he has been chosen as the regional winner for Europe of the UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award, a prestigious annual prize that honours those who have gone to extraordinary lengths to support forcibly displaced and stateless people. He is the first ever winner from Serbia.

“Nikola’s work contributed towards important improvements of the asylum procedure in Serbia including an increase in the number of refugees being granted international protection,” Francesca Bonelli, UNHCR Representative in Serbia said. “His devotion to the refugee cause in Serbia showcases the importance of everyone’s involvement and contribution to protection of the persons forced to flee their homes. Nikola’s example serves as an inspiration for all those, especially the young, who are ready to go the extra mile in providing support to refugees in need.”

For refugees, access to territory is a precondition for accessing protection. States have the right to control their borders, but they also must ensure that they respect human rights and that refugees have access to protection.

“What we are witnessing sometimes is the twilight of rule of law at the border. If we lose the battle at the borders, we will lose the battle for the entire system,” said Kovačević.

 

Many of the asylum-seekers he has met have been deeply affected by the pushback experience. Recently, he met Abas, an asylum-seeker from Afghanistan, who had suffered serious injuries to his ribs and spine. Kovačević offered him legal aid and arranged a medical examination. He is continuing to work with Abas helping him to access asylum and make Serbia his new home.

“Unfortunately, this is just another day in the office,” said Kovačević. “This is something we see on a regular basis. It is very important to continue doing what we’re doing, because we need to find a way for this to stop.”

Bilal, an asylum-seeker from Syria, recalls meeting Kovačević at a dark time in his life in 2016. “I was completely lost, it’s like nobody could hear me,” said Bilal. “But then there was this light at the end of the tunnel and there was Nikola.”

The lawyer offered him free legal assistance and helped him to settle into a home in Serbia, vouching for him with his new landlord. He then referred him to UNHCR and to a psychologist for counselling. He also empowered Bilal to help others by actively participating in advocacy for their protection, by using his case for strategic litigation.

“He is one of the bravest people I have ever met,” Kovačević says about Bilal. “By allowing us to litigate his case, he contributed immensely to the protection of countless others.”

In addition to his work with asylum-seekers, Kovačević is building a community of young lawyers interested in human rights through his role as assistant law professor at Union University in Belgrade.

Jana, a former student, explains how his example inspired her to get into human rights law. “Seeing somebody that believes so much in what they’re doing was what inspired me and made me want to do this as well,” she said.

For Kovačević, it is his interactions with refugees and asylum seekers that keep him motivated. “When you speak with someone in a desperate situation, you explain who you are, what you do… they relax and appreciate that there is someone who wants to speak with them,” he said.

“This is the essence of the work that we do, to find humanity and to treat every human being with dignity.”

All the names used in the articles are not real names of the interviewed asylum seekers and refugees.

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