NEWSLETTER #10
ON ATTACKS AND PRESSURE AGAINST HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS
The Solidarity for the Rights of All Network presents Newsletter # 10 on attacks and pressure against activists. The team documents attacks and pressures on the Incident Map through research of publicly available information and interviews with the victims. Since the beginning of 2022, 35 attacks and pressures have been registered, both on those who protect human rights and those who found themselves in that role due to their actions and suffered consequences. The Solidarity for the Rights of All Network is led by the Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights – YUCOM, Belgrade Center for Security Policy, and the People’s Parliament.
CURRENT NEWS
The arrests of activists in Šodroš more.. |
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| The police in Novi Sad used excessive force and detained several activists on October 19, 2022, who had been camping and blocking access to Šodros for several months to request that this green oasis, as a habitat for rare species of birds and plants, be removed from the plans for the construction of the bridge. The protests began in early June after a section of trees was cut down to begin construction work on the bridge. Activists claim that the Chinese company CRBC (China Road and Bridge Corporation) does not have all the necessary permits to carry out the work. Activists gathered in the Šodroš Survivor Camp demand the suspension of works, the publication of all documentation related to the works, the initiation of misdemeanor and criminal proceedings for the illegal cutting of trees, and the formal protection of Šodroš. The activists were arrested during an attempt by CRBC workers to fence off the area where they would carry out the work. | |
| Date | October 19,2022 |
| Type of attack | Deprivation of Liberty; Physical Assault (Beatings, Violence, Injuries) |
| Type of attacker | Police, private legal entity |
| Endangered right | Freedom of assembly |
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ATTACKS
| Criminal charges and entry ban for EuroPride 2022 participants more… | |
| Date | September 22, 2022 |
| Type of attack | Criminal Proceedings initiated; other Procedure initiated |
| Type of attacker | Police |
| Endangered right | Freedom of assembly |
| Attack on EuroPride 2022 participants more… | |
| Date | September 17, 2022 |
| Type of attack | Physical Assault (Beatings, Violence, Injuries) |
| Type of attacker | Natural person, unknown |
| Endangered right | Freedom of assembly |
| Banning EuroPride 2022 more… | |
| Date | September 13, 2022 |
| Type of attack | Other Procedure initiated |
| Type of attacker | Police |
| Endangered right | Freedom of assembly |
| Attack on the Pride info center more… | |
| Date | August 16, 2022 |
| Type of attack | Property Damage |
| Type of attacker | Natural person, unknown |
| Endangered right | Freedom of expression, freedom of association |
| Attack on Sofija Todorović on Twitter more… | |
| Date | August 15, 2022 |
| Type of attack | Internet harassment; Threats, Acts of Intimidation, Blackmail |
| Type of attacker | Natural person, unknown |
| Endangered right | Freedom of assembly |
| Attack of Bishop Nikamor on “EuroPride 2022” more… | |
| Date | August 12, 2022 |
| Type of attack | Threats, Acts of Intimidation, Blackmail |
| Type of attacker | Public Figure |
| Endangered right | Freedom of assembly |
| Više na mapi… | |
OTHER ATTACKS AND PRESSURES
AUGUST – OCTOBER
| Arrest and torture of activists from Starica mountain more… | |
| Date | September 26, 2022 |
| Type of attack | Deprivation of Liberty; Physical Assault (Beatings, Violence, Injuries), |
| Type of attacker | Police |
| Endangered right | Freedom of assembly |
| The beating of an Eco Guard activist in Belgrade more… | |
| Date | September 21, 2022 |
| Type of attack | Deprivation of Liberty; Physical Assault (Beatings, Violence, Injuries), |
| Type of attacker | Police |
| Endangered right | Freedom of assembly |
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The beating of an Eco Guard activist in Belgrade more…
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| Date | September 21, 2022 |
| Type of attack | Physical Assault (Beatings, Violence, Injuries) |
| Type of attacker | Natural person, unknown |
| Endangered right | Freedom of expression; freedom of association |
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Threats and attacks on activists on Starica mountain more…
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| Date | September 5, 2022 |
| Type of attack | Physical Assault (Beatings, Violence, Injuries);Property Damage |
| Type of attacker | Police, Private legal entity |
| Endangered right | Freedom of assembly |
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Attack of the mayor of Belgrade, Aleksandar Šapić, on Nataša Kandić more…
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| Date | August 18, 2022 |
| Type of attack | Threats, Acts of Intimidation, Blackmail |
| Type of attacker | Public Official |
| Endangered right | Freedom of expression |
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Attack of the Srbin.info portal on Naim Leo Beširi more…
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| Date | August 17, 2022 |
| Type of attack | Internet harassment; Threats, Acts of Intimidation, Blackmail |
| Type of attacker | Media |
| Endangered right | Freedom of expression, freedom of association |
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Misdemeanor proceedings against Women in Black more…
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| Date | August 1, 2022 |
| Type of attack | Misdemeanor Proceeding initiated |
| Type of attacker | Judicial Organs- Public Prosecutor’s office, Enforcement Officers, Public Notary Police |
| Endangered right | Freedom of assembly |
| More on map… | |
SELECTED REACTIONS
| September 30, 2022. | Stop police violence against activists in Majdanpek |
| Three Freedoms Platform | |
| September 13, 2022. | Serbian authorities should withdraw the ban on Europride march and protect participants |
| CoE Commissioner for Human Rights | |
| September 13, 2022. | Disgraceful decision of the police to ban the EuroPride march |
| Three Freedoms Platform | |
| September 1, 2022. | Joint letter calling on  #Serbia’s President Vučić & PM Brnabić to ensure & facilitate a safe #EuroPride2022 |
| Members of the European Parliament | |
| August 29, 2022. | Anything but providing security guarantees for “EuroPride 2022” is a defeat for the state |
| Three Freedoms Platform |
Look back at the 25 years YUCOM spent on the frontline fighting for
human rights
LAWYERS’ COMMITTEE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (YUCOM)
Annual Report Y09 – 10
Two years of crisis: June 2020 – June 2022
Crisis situations require a focused, reactive approach. The two-year epidemiology and safety crisis and the gravest crisis of the democratic Parliament (which is supposed to bring Serbia closer to the European Union) thus far forced the YUCOM team to pay closer attention to and intervene in the work of all branches of government.
The parliamentary elections of 2020 were held without an intense campaign due to and amid the coronavirus epidemic and were boycotted by the majority of opposition parties. The month of June saw the formation of a single-party Parliament but also marked the beginning of large spontaneous protests. The forceful response of the police to the protests took us to Belgrade prisons to prevent torture and complete one of our missions, together with the team of the Protector of Citizens and other non-governmental organizations.
The amendments to the Constitution, which took place since September 2020 in the Parliament, were discussed with the Venice Commission, citizens, and the media. At the beginning of 2022, amendments to the Constitution were adopted by referendum, which marked a new chapter in the monitoring reforms of the Serbian judiciary.
Debates on new regulations were not organized due to epidemiological risks. YUCOM did, however, take the initiative and organize hybrid events – public debates on relevant laws. The Law on the Protector of Citizens was adopted in the fall of 2021 following a public debate that we organized with the help of the UN Mission to Serbia
VOICE OF DEFENDERS
ATTACK STATISTICS IN 2021
CONTACT
You can report attacks and pressures against your organization and yourself to the contact below with a brief description of the event, date, place and identity of the attacker (if known). We would ask you to submit a contact phone number with the application, at which you can be reached for additional questions.
You can report an attack at e-mail: office@yucom.org.rs
