The Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights, YUCOM, is calling for an immediate cesation of the forced eviction of inhabitants living in the informal Roma settlement of Grmeč, in Zemun, Belgrade, a process that began last week, when a decision to demolish the homes was delivered to the inhabitants.
Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights – YUCOM, in collaboration with Ombudsman and the Ministry of Interior has succeeded to provide a five-member family originally from Syria to leave Serbia, and therefore guarantee uninterrupted continuance of their journey to their country of refuge.
On the 21st of April, 2015 Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights-YUCOM reported to the Vracar Police Department of the Ministry of Interior unidentified persons for attacking and gravely injuring G. M. on the 16th of April, 2015. Upon receiving the information, police officers of the PD Vracar have identified two persons who allegedly committed the attack.
The Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights (YUCOM), Autonomous Women’s Center and Regional Centre for Minorities express their deepest concern with the adoption and implementation of the Decree on the Measures of Social Inclusion of the Beneficiaries of Financial Social Support adopted by the Government of the Republic of Serbia. We believe that the Decree does not solve the issues of social isolation of the poorest and most vulnerable citizens of the Republic of Serbia and that some of the solutions prescribed are unlawful and unconstitutional.
STEP Coalition, composed of eight NGOs from Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo, strongly condemns the reckless acts of physical violence by the groups of citizens gathered in order to sabotage the first Montenegrin Pride Parade “Seaside Pride” held on 24 July 2013 in Budva, which were followed by hate speech towards the participants and organizers of this gathering.
The Human Rights House (the House) calls on all political parties currently negotiating the formation of the future government not to ignore civil society organisations (CSOs) views’ related to the formation of the cabinet. Member organisations of the House call on the Prime Minister elect and those parties negotiating the make-up of the future cabinet to organize a meeting with representatives of CSOs who are requesting the formation of a Ministry of Human Rights. We further request that they take into account suggestions made by CSOs regarding the competencies of human rights-related bodies that may be created by the future government.
Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia and Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights YUCOM evaluate that the prompt reaction of the Ministry of Interior, as well as the arrest of the perpetrators of torture against a Roma in Vršac are a good step towards the reduction of police torture.
What casts a shadow over this case is the fact that the torture happened in 2007, while the reaction occured only after strong public pressure.
Concerning the taking into custody of Belgzim Kamberi, the Chairman of the Human Rights Board in Bujanovac, we’d like to make an appeal to the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Vranje for an immediate termination of the procedure and criminal prosecution of the citizens who point out the violation of human rights and discrimination.
Non-Governmental Organizations can ascertain with pleasure that the arrest of Ratko Mladić demonstrated that in Serbia there is enough political will and capacity to put an end to the many-years long hiding of the fugitive of Hague.
Impunity as a principle that we have been watching for years loses its force with the arrest of Ratko Mladić. We can expect that the case of Mladić will finally move from speculations to judicial paths where the concrete responsibility will be determined.