FRY: Ill-treatment / police brutality
Amnesty International is concerned by a pattern of police brutality in response to peaceful anti-government protests taking place across Serbia. Over 50 people, including Ivan Markovi , Predrag Milosavljevi and Olivera Obradovi (f) and members of the press, were reportedly injured during a protest march in Belgrade on 9 November 1999, with some seeking medical attention as a result.
PUBLIC AI Index: EUR 70/123/99
This is a limited action. Please restrict appeals to 25 per section.
UA 296/99 Ill-treatment / police brutality 11 November 1999
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA (FRY)
Ivan Markovi, student
Predrag Milosavljevi, press photographer
Olivera Obradovi (f), student
other demonstrators and media workers
Amnesty International is concerned by a pattern of police brutality in response
to peaceful anti-government protests taking place across Serbia. Over 50 people,
including those named above and members of the press, were reportedly injured
during a protest march in Belgrade on 9 November 1999, with some seeking medical
attention as a result.
The march, organized by the students' movement Otpor (Resistance), was
supporting the call by Serbian opposition parties for early elections and
protesting against laws affecting the independence of academic institutions
and the freedom of the press.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Since the end of NATO air strikes in June 1999, tens of thousands of people
across Serbia have demonstrated against the government. They are calling on
President Slobodan Miloševi to resign following the Kosovo crisis, for which
he has been indicted by the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal
for the former Yugoslavia.
Amnesty International issued an Urgent Action (see UA 256/99, EUR 70/109/99,
30 September 1999) after some 50 people were believed injured and a number
detained after riot police violently dispersed a peaceful anti-government
protest on 29 September. Other anti-government demonstrations have been
similarly violently broken up by police.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send telegrams/telexes/faxes/express/airmail
letters in English, German, French, Russian or your own language: (postal
services to the FRY have now been restored).
- expressing concern at reports that police beat demonstrators and media workers
at a protest march in Belgrade on 9 November 1999;
- reminding the authorities of their commitment to uphold Articles 19 and 21
of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (to which Yugoslavia
is a state party), which guarantee the rights of freedom of expression and
assembly;
- calling for a prompt, thorough and impartial investigation into reports of
police ill-treatment.
APPEALS TO:
President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Slobodan Miloševi
Predsednik SRJ
Bulevar Mihaila Pupina 2
11070 Beograd, Yugoslavia
Telegrams: President, Belgrade, Yugoslavia
Faxes: + 381 11 636 775
Telexes: 11062 siv yu
E-mails: slobodan.milosevic@gov.yu
Salutation: Dear President
2
Federal Minister of Internal Affairs
Zoran Sokolovi
Ministar za unutrašnje poslove
Savezno ministarstvo za unutrašnje poslove
11000 Beograd, Yugoslavia
Telegrams: Federal Minister, Belgrade, Yugoslavia
Faxes: + 381 11 361 7730
E-mails: zoran.sokolovic@gov.yu
Salutation: Dear Minister
COPIES TO:
Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministar za inostrane poslove
ivadin Jovanovi
Savezno ministarstvo za inostrane poslove
Kneza Miloša 24-26
11000 Beograd, Yugoslavia
Faxes: + 381 11 367 2954
Telexes: 11173
E-mails: zivadin.jovanovic@gov.yu
and to diplomatic representatives of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
accredited to your country.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat,
or your section office, if sending appeals after 23 December 1999.