The “Three Freedoms” platform calls on the competent institutions to clearly and unambiguously guarantee the safe holding of “EuroPride 2022”, scheduled for September 2022. The public messages of the President of the Republic and the representative for the composition of the new government about the impossibility of holding this gathering for security reasons do not represent a “decision of the state”, but illegal pressure on the competent institution (MUP- Ministry of Internal Affairs) to ban the scheduled gathering, which creates a devastating impression that the state is unable to provide not even the physical safety of its citizens.
Regardless of whether the announcement of the President of the Republic that this event will be “postponed or canceled” or the statement of the representative for the composition of the new Government that it is only a “pleasure to the organizers” is taken as authoritative, the manipulation of this issue by placing it in the context of endangering state security and energy crisis undermines basic human rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution and confirmed international treaties, including the right of citizens to freedom of peaceful assembly.
We remind that human rights and freedoms can be limited only for the reasons prescribed by the Constitution in the procedure prescribed by law, for which in this case neither the President of the Republic nor the mandate holder have any authority. Any statement by state officials discouraging the organization of public gatherings constitutes an unjustified encroachment on this freedom.
Regardless of whether the competent state authority will pass a decision on the banning of “EuroPride 2022”, the damage has already been caused by creating the impression among citizens that their human rights do not depend on clearly prescribed and predictable procedures and laws, but on the unpredictable and changing will of incompetent state officials. The Three Freedoms platform calls for solidarity with all citizens from the LGBT+ community in the fight for the equal enjoyment of basic human rights and freedoms.
Belgrade, 29. 8. 2022.
Signatories:
Civil Initiatives
Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia
The Lawyers’ Committee For Human Rights (YUCOM)
Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS)
Belgrade Centre for Human Rights
Trag Foundation
Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIRH)
New Optimism
A 11 – Initiative for Economic and Social Rights
Slavko Curuvija Foundation
Center for Practical Politics
CRTA
Catalyst Balkans
The Belgrade Centre for Security Policy (BCSP)
CZKD | Center for Cultural Decontamination
Transparency Serbia
Autonomous Women’s Centre
Partners for Democratic Changes Serbia