NEWSLETTER #6
ON ATTACKS AND PRESSURE AGAINST HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS
The Solidarity for the Rights of All Network presents the Newsletter # 6 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 2021, 55 attacks and pressures have been registered on the map, both against those who deal with the protection of human rights, as well as 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. In October and November 2021, 8 attacks and pressures were registered.
CURRENT NEWS
Arrest of activists during a protest in front of a mural of a convicted war criminal |
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| Activists Aida Ćorović and Jelena Jaćimović were arrested during a protest in front of the mural of a convicted war criminal, Ratko Mladić. They were arrested by plainclothes police officers, and who refused to identify themselves, with excessive use of force. The reason for the arrest was throwing eggs at the mural. This event was preceded by the notification of the protest rally of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights and the banning of the same rally by the Ministry of the Interior due to the alleged security risk. Despite the ban on gatherings, some activists gathered during the scheduled rally to protest the mural of a convicted war criminal in the city center, after which they were detained in an unlawful manner. According to the Ministry of the Interior, a misdemeanor report was filed against Aida Ćorović and Jelena Jaćimović for disturbing public order and peace. | |
| Date | November 9, 2021 |
| Type of attack | Deprivation of liberty |
| Type of attacker | Police |
| Endangered right | Freedom of expression, freedom of assembly |
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ATTACKS AND PRESSURE IN OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER
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Hate graffiti again at the Youth Initiative for Human Rights office
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| Date |
November 16 , 2021 |
| Type of attack | Damage to property |
| Type of attacker | Individual |
| Endangered right | Freedom of expression, freedom of association |
| Hate graffiti at the Youth Initiative for Human Rights office | |
| Date |
November 16 , 2021 |
| Type of attack | Damage to property |
| Type of attacker | Individual |
| Endangered right | Freedom of expression, freedom of association |
| Attack on activist Jelena Jaćimović by right-wing activists | |
| Date |
November 9, 2021 |
| Type of attack | Threats / Acts of intimidation / Blackmail |
| Type of attacker | Individual |
| Endangered right | Freedom of expression |
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Death threats against activists of the Women’s Association of the Kolubara District
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| Date | November 7, 2021 |
| Type of attack | Threats / Acts of intimidation / Blackmail |
| Type of attacker | Individual |
| Endangered right | Freedom of expression, freedom of association |
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Ban on the gathering of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights on the International Day against Fascism and Anti-Semitism
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| Date | November 7, 2021 |
| Type of attack | Prohibition of public gatherings |
| Type of attacker | Police |
| Endangered right | Freedom of assembly |
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Offensive graffiti on the door of the Women in Black office
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| Date | October 25, 2021 |
| Type of attack | Damage to property |
| Type of attacker | Individual |
| Endangered right | Freedom of association, freedom of expression |
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Activists were denied access to the conference of convicted war criminal Dragan Vasiljković
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| Date | October 22, 2021 |
| Type of attack | Threats / Acts of intimidation / Blackmail |
| Type of attacker | Individual |
| Endangered right | Freedom of speech |
| More on the map… | |
REACTIONS
| November 21, 2021. | Adviser to the UN Secretary-General: Please remove the Mladic mural |
| N1 | |
| November 19, 2021. | PACE rapporteurs urge Serbian authorities to remove the Ratko Mladic mural in Belgrade and take strong measures against glorification of war criminals |
| Coe | |
| November 10, 2021. | Serbia needs to stop glorifying convicted war criminals |
| Balkantimes | |
| Oktober 26, 2021. | Solidarity support against the attack on Women in Black |
| Joint Press Statement of Civil Society Organizations |
CONTACT
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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 |
The Newsletter on attack and pressure on human rights defenders was made with the financial assistance of the European Union. Its content is the sole responsibility of the Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights – Yucom and partners and its contents does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union
