Organs of the State Must Prevent Lawlessness

February 20, 2008

The Belgrade Centre for Human Rights reminds all organs of the State of their constitutional and legal obligation to protect the life and property of all citizens of the Republic of Serbia. In the last four days we have been witnessing gross violations of the elementary human rights of those citizens of Serbia labelled by the self-appointed protectors of the national interest as persons deserving to be victims of fury and lawlessness.           The organs of the State, and especially the political institutions and the judiciary, cannot allow the unpunished destruction of the property of the citizens of this country as well as the objects belonging to the diplomatic missions of other states. In the last couple of days there have been open threats addressed to politicians, and especially to the officials of the Liberal-Democratic Party. Non-governmental organizations have also been under attack, including those performing essentially humanitarian actions and which, as in the case of Lingua in Kraljevo, have been primarily aimed at providing assistance to internally displaced persons from Kosovo and Metohija. Unfortunately, any reaction by any organ of the State has so far been absent. however, their duty is to prevent lawlessness and aggression through the proper functioning of the State. Instead of that, some high state officials have also incited to violence or justified the latter.

          The Belgrade Centre for Human Rights calls on the police, the judiciary and the executive power in general to respect the Constitution and the laws of Serbia and to secure to all citizens their personal freedom and safety as well as the security of their property.