BELGRADE, 23.02.2018. – “Serbia has to move forward resolutely in addressing the legacy of the past,  establish an adequate environment for media work and overcome the remaining obstacles to inclusive education.” said today Nils Muižnieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, following a four-day follow-up visit to the country carried out from 19 to 22 February 2018.

Noting as an important step forward in addressing the legacy of the past, the recent discussions of the presidents of Serbia and Croatia, including the issue of missing persons from the 1990s’ war in the region, the Commissioner calls on all the countries in the region, including Serbia, to step up their work in addressing the remaining obstacles to establishing the fate of missing persons, including by opening of military and police archives that may hold important information about missing persons.

The Commissioner underlines that persistent impunity for certain serious human rights violations adversely affects justice and durable peace in the region. While he noted with interest information indicating that the prosecution of wartime crimes has been stepped up in recent months and that regional co-operation in this field has continued, the Commissioner urges the authorities to ensure that all perpetrators of serious human rights violations committed during the 1990s’ wars are brought to justice without further delays. “Any document that can shed light on serious human rights violations committed during the wars and enable the effective investigation of such crimes should be made available to relevant institutions, and decisions according to which some documents were declared a state secret should be revised in line with the pertinent recommendations of the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance.” Noting with regret that there has been no recent progress in creating a comprehensive reparation mechanism for all war victims, the Commissioner calls on the authorities to put this issue higher on their agenda and draw from positive legislative examples in the region, in particular as concerns reparations for victims of war related crimes of sexual violence.

The Commissioner is seriously concerned that certain persons convicted for war crimes by the ICTY have been given a public platform in Serbia to promote their views and deny the crimes for which they were convicted, while leading politicians have not distanced themselves from such persons, and even included them in some political processes. “This approach to dealing with the past is harmful for reconciliation in the region and is an insult to the victims of those crimes. Moreover, raising young generations in Serbia in the spirit of peace, tolerance and respect for the other, will be difficult as long as persons convicted for wartime crimes are treated in society as heroes.”

The Commissioner was pleased to note the additional progress made by Serbia in ensuring systematic birth registration of Roma and providing them with personal identity documents. He encourages the authorities to make additional efforts to resolve about 2000 remaining cases of Roma lacking personal identity documents.

As concerns freedom of the media, the Commissioner noted the agreement of all media actors that he met that Serbia has a solid legislative framework governing this field. ”Serbia also has great investigative journalists, some of whom have been presented with prestigious international awards. The Commissioner for Information of Public Importance, whose importance for investigative journalists’ work cannot be overstated, is a model institution that should be fully supported by the authorities and whose decisions need to be fully complied with.”

However, the Commissioner noted many concerns about a deteriorating situation for the work of journalists and media since his previous visit. The safety of journalists remains an issue of concern, and despite some efforts by the authorities to ensure a better institutional response to crimes against journalists, few such cases have been effectively prosecuted.  Smear campaigns, inflammatory remarks and other forms of pressure against journalists have increased and have led to self-censorship and discouraged journalists from performing their important work. The Commissioner called on the authorities to investigate and prosecute all crimes against journalists. “Politicians are urged to unequivocally condemn all cases of violence targeting journalists who play such a crucial watchdog role in the society.” The Commissioner noted some serious challenges in the implementation of the project-based funding of media, introduced in 2014, which entails state financial support at national and local level for media projects of public interest. “Lack of transparency, politically motivated decisions and funding awarded to tabloids and media known to be violating media ethics are among the serious challenges that need to be addressed by the authorities in this context.”

Underlining the importance of inclusive education for social cohesion and the educational opportunities of all children, the Commissioner was pleased to note some positive developments in this field. “I find the authorities’ clear commitment to inclusive education and their wide acceptance of the principle of inclusion of all children in mainstream education, including children with disabilities and Roma, crucial for making further progress in this field. Another positive development is that Roma children are no longer systematically sent to special schools, which violated their rights and perpetuated their marginalisation. It is also very important that the authorities have recognised the importance of mandatory pre-school classes and the work of pedagogical assistants for better inclusion of children in mainstream education and that further improvements in this context have been planned.”

Notwithstanding these positive developments, the Commissioner called on the authorities to enhance their efforts to ensure full inclusion in mainstream education of all Roma children and children with disabilities. He was seriously concerned by the effects of 2009 legislation which provides for a possibility that parents choose a school for their children regardless of their place of residence, which has facilitated so-called “white flight” from certain elementary schools and exacerbated the segregation of Roma children. One such school was the school Sutjeska in Zemun visited by the Commissioner, in which an increasing percentage of students were Roma. The Commissioner urged the authorities to address this issue by reintroducing the catchment area system as a precondition for de-segregation of such schools.

Noting the importance of the provision of children with disabilities with personal assistants for their better inclusion in mainstream education and the lack of funding in some local communities for the engagement of such assistants, the Commissioner called on the authorities to find a systemic solution in this regard to further inclusion. Last but not least, the Commissioner urged the authorities to make enhanced efforts to include children with disabilities residing in six institutions for social care in mainstream education.

BEOGRAD, 23.02.2018. – U Srbiji je nastavljena nekažnjivost zločina po međunarodnom pravu, a klevete zvaničnika i medija bliskih vladi stvaraju toksično okruženje za nezavisne medije i aktiviste tranzicione pravde.

To se navodi u najnovijem izveštaju organizacije za zaštitu ljudskih prava Amnesti internešenala (Amnesty International) za 2017. godinu.

U izveštaju, koji je objavljen danas, ističe se da su istraživački novinari u Srbiji podvrgnuti kampanjama blaćenja od ministara i medija bliskih vladi, da je privatno obezbeđenje vladajuće stranke fizički napalo šest novinara koji su izveštavali sa mitinga tokom inauguracije Aleksandra Vučića 31. maja, kao i da su novinari KRIK-a dobijali pretnje smrću, a da je novinarki Dragani Pećo obijen stan.

Naglašava se da je u septembru politička partija ministra odbrane Aleksandra Vulina optužila glavnog i odgovornog urednika KRIK-a, Stevana Dojčinovića da je „narkoman“ i „strani plaćenik“, a sve zbog toga što je KRIK istraživao imovinu ministra Vulina.

Amnesti naglašava da su aktivisti za tranzicionu pravdu napadani od strane najviših zvaničnika, uključujući i Aleksandra Vučića, preko provladinih medija i društvenih mreža.

Huligani su u januaru, na ulazu u kancelariju Inicijative mladih za ljudska prava, ostavili kese sa lažnim novcem i nalepnice „strani plaćenici“, piše u izveštaju. Kako se dodaje, aktivisti i aktivistkinje Inicijative mladih fizički su napadnuti na tribini vladajuće stranke na kojoj je govorio haški osuđenik Veselin Šljivančanin.

U izveštaju se navodi da su bivši srpski vojni komandanti posle odsluženih kazni izrečenih pred Haškim tribunalom sve češće dobijali uticajne položaje, ali i podseća da je u maju Snežana Stanojković izabrana za glavnu tužiteljku za ratne zločine, da su izrečene samo tri presude za ratne zločine i da su sve bile oslobađajuće.

Ističe se i da je nastavljeno ponovno suđenje za bivše vojnike optužene za ratne zločine na Kosovu, uključujući prvu optužnicu za silovanje, da je u julu zaustavljeno suđenje osmorici bosanskih Srba koji se terete za ubistvo 1.303 bošnjačka civila u okolini Srebrenice, jer je optužnica podignuta u vreme kada nije bilo tužioca za ratne zločine. Međutim, dodaje se da je nakon žalbe suđenje ipak nastavljeno.

Amnesti podseća i da je Apelacioni sud u oktobru odbacio optužbe protiv bosanskih Srba za otmicu u Štrpcima, da porodice žrtava nisu priznate kao civilne žrtve rata, jer su im članovi porodice umrli izvan teritorije Srbije.

„Porodice žrtava kosovskih Srba pozvale su u maju vladu da učini napredak u pronalaženju tela nestalih“, piše u izveštaju i naglašava da nema napretka u gonjenju odgovornih za transport i zakopavanje tela kosovskih Albanaca sa Kosova tokom 1999. godine. Dodaje se i da je u novembru pred Haškim tribunalom osuđen Ratko Mladić, kao i da je u avgustu 10 osoba oslobođeno optužbi da su mu pomagali dok je bio u bekstvu.

Amnesti navodi da su u aprilu održane masovne demonstracije i protesti protiv izborne korupcije i pristrasnosti medija nakon predsedničkih izbora na kojima je pobedila vladajuća stranka.

„Iako je Komitet UN protiv torture glasao protiv izručenja kurdskog aktiviste Dževdeta Ajaza, Srbija ga je u decembru vratila u Tursku gde ga čeka sigurni zatvor“, navodi se u izveštaju.

Amnesti navodi da romske porodice u Beogradu i dalje žive u nehigijenskim naseljima, da su im uskraćena socijalna i ekonomska prava, poput prava na zdravstvo, obrazovanje, vodu, da su pod rizikom prisilnih izbacivanja, ali i da policija maltretira Rome. Naglašava se i da su izbeglice i migranti blokirani u Srbiji, kao i da su oni koji su pokušali da uđu u Evropsku uniju preko Mađarske i Hrvatske nasilno vraćani u Srbiju.

Dodaje se da je u januaru do 1.800 izbeglica i migranata živelo u napuštenim skladištima, i to često na temperaturi ispod nule, te da su do maja izbačeni i prebačeni u pretrpane vladine centre u kojima su uslovi neadekvatni.

Srbija je proglasila 18. maj za Dan sećanja na žene koje su ubijene od strane muževa i partnera, ističe se u izveštaju i podseća da su organizacije koje se bore za ženska prava protestovale u julu, jer vlasti nisu zaštitile dve žene i jedno dete koje su ubili bivši muževi, i to ispred centara za socijalni rad u Beogradu.

U novembru, dodaje se, Srbija je ratifikovala Istanbulsku konvenciju za spečavanje nasilja nad ženama.

Nedostatak dogovora Srbije i Kosova

U izveštaju Amnesti internešenala se ističe da nedostatak dogovora o uzajamnoj pravnoj pomoći Kosova i Srbije ometa procesuiranje Srba osumnjičenih za ratne zločine tokom sukoba 1998. i 1999. godine, uključujući i seksualno nasilje. Navodi se da bi stotine nerešenih slučajeva trebalo da bude prebačeno u junu 2018. u kancelariju Specijalnog tužioca Kosova, te da su tužioci, nevladine organizacije i žrtve seksualnog nasilja za vreme sukoba zabrinuti da svedočenja koja je Unmik sakupio nisu na odgovarajući način istražena.

Amnesti podseća da bivša predsednica Kosova Atifete Jahjaga nije mogla da dođe u Beograd u junu kako bi predstavila knjigu svedočenja žrtava seksualnog nasilja za vreme rata, kao i da stigma povezana sa silovanjem za vreme ratnih sukoba i dalje opterećuje žrtve. U izveštaju Amnestija navodi se da je mali napredak ostvaren u pronalaženju nestalih i da se na spisku nalazi 1.658 ljudi. Takođe se ističe da je Specijalni sud za Kosovo formiran 28. juna u Hagu, a da kosovski poslanici nisu u decembru uspeli da ukinu zakon o tom sudu, koji smatraju da diskriminiše protiv OVK.

Brnabić i LGBT

„Imenovanje Ane Bnabić za premijerku Srbije i njeno prisustvo na Paradi ponosa su neki ocenili kao napredak. Međutim, vlasti nisu zaštitile LGBT osobe i organizacije od diskriminacije, fizičkih napada i pretnji“, ističe se u izveštaju Amnestija i dodaje da je u aprilu Komitet UN za ljudska prava urgirao da Srbija efektivnije primeni zločin iz mržnje.

PRISTINA, 22.02.2018 – The Association of Journalists of Kosovo condemns the violent remove of a journalist from Kosovo’s Assembly on Thursday by a security individual. The latter first introduced himself as part of the cabinet of President of Assembly, and then as a member of Kosovo police.

According to incident report, the journalist was standing in front of the office of Assembly Speaker, Kadri Veseli where a meeting was taking place with representatives of political parties.

“Initially a person came out of office and asked me for accreditation and I presented it. Then, second person came out and told me that the accreditation has expired last December and I cannot stay there. But, we and other media have applied in time for renewal and it is the Assembly that has not proceeded with media accreditation,” Osmani told AJK. “He strongly holds my arm and forcibly took me out of the Assembly building.”

The AJK considers that this event is a direct obstacle of work of media and condemns the violent act against the journalist, despite that there was a clarification among them about the expired accreditation. No one has the right to act with violence against media workers and in particular in situations when the reporting has direct interests for the public of our country.

This event once again reveals the mentality and the lack of respect of our public institutions for the work of journalists.

SARAJEVO, 21.02.2018. -The Islamic Community in BiH condemns the physically attack on the journalists and publicist Nedzad Latic and especially because of the fact that the incident is observed as related to the mosque.

SARAJEVO, 21.02.2018. – The Steering Committee of BHJA strongly condemns the physical attack on the publicist and editor off the portal The Bosnia Times from Sarajeva. The attack happened on Tuesday afternoon, in front of the building Latić lives in, shorty after leaving the Mosque he was praying in.

Causing bodily injuries and the attack on Nedžad Latić is a brutal attack on freedom of expression and endagerment of safety of journalists, as well as a harsh attempt of suppression media freedom and critical writing on actual events in Sarajevo, including the behavior of some members of the Wahhabi movement.

The Steering Committee of BHJA requests an urgent investigation of all circumstances of the attack on Latić, identifying the perpetrators and the motives of attack, and to take legally prescribed measures in a fast and efficient manner, which will show how police structures and judicial institutions respond responsibly and timely in cases of attacks on journalists and endangering their security.

Steering Committee of BHJA expresses its deepest concernsabout the fact that this is another assault in February, which occurred immediately after performing a private religious rite in one of the Sarajevo mosques and is linked to journalistic work. Freelance journalist Faruk Vele  reported verbal attacks and threats that were directed to him through a number of online portals, that followed immediately after prayers at the Mosque “Careva Džamija” in Sarajevo, on which the religious leader stated that for some journalists is should be prayed as if they were death, although they are alive.

Steering Committee of BHJA does not link the attacks on journalists Nedžad Latić and Faruk Vela and the endangerment  their security with the activities of the Islamic Community in BiH, but expects from this, and all the other, religious institution to publicly condemn the disputable speech held in the Mosque “Careva džamija”as well as to act more proactive in preventing the speech and behavior of believers who may, in a direct or indirect way, question the freedom of the media and the security of journalists.

Steering Committee of BH Journalists Association