NEWS ARCHIVE
Protect Human Rights Defenders
20/02/2008 - In a letter addressed to Serbian President Boris Tadic and Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica, IW requested today that the Serbian authorities ensure protection for human rights defenders and independent media, who are facing growing threats of physical violence.The letter was co-signed by the Swedish Helsinki Committee and the National Endowment for Democracy.
Since the declaration of independence by the former Serbian province of Kosovo on February 17, human rights organisations and independent media in Serbia have been subjected to a camapaign of hate mongering by a number of high-circulation papers, as well as to credible threats of physical violence.
Particularly vicious were attacks aimed at Ms Natasa Kandic, Executive Director of IW partner organisation Humanitarian Law Centre, who was publicly accused of "treason" for being present at the session of the Kosovo Central Assembly on February 17.
IW and other cosignatories reminded the Serbian government that the "declaration of independence of Kosovo and unresolved transitional justice issues cannot justify /.../ the failure to protect human rights defenders and journalists."
"We respectfully request that Serbian goverment exercise all its authority and use all mechanisms available to adequately protect human rights defenders and freedom of expression," IW director Nico Roozen said. "This should include punishing those who propagate hate crime and hate speech while offering unequivocal support to those who work to protect human rights."
IW letter is available for download