The undersigned Yugoslav non-governmental organizations wish to alert the public to illegal performance by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Serbia, which is reaching the point of the highest concern. The actions of the competent authorities following the incident in Pozarevac indicate to the unhindered and dangerous alliance between the armed state and para-state groups encountering citizens. The Federal Minister for Telecommunications who uses the state television to accuse citizens without any proof of grave criminal acts also adjoins this alliance. This again shows that the state bodies have put themselves fully in service of the three ruling political parties, which have since long ago overstepped the mandate earned from citizens on the previous elections. Bearing in mind that the authorities are more and more stepping out of the frames of legality, which causes their speedy loss of legitimacy, and in light of threats publicly stated by the highest officials of the regime, the non-governmental organizations consider a real possibility that the regime’s armed forces would initiate new and even more drastic repression measures directed to the physical integrity of the members of the OTPOR (Resistance) movement.
The below signed NGOs are hereby notifying the public and warning the regime that they stand in protection of the OTPOR movement and its members, and that they will use all legal means in order to stop the growing state violence. The NGOs also intend to use all of their influence with the international organizations and international public to exert additional pressure on the authorities in Serbia.
Group 484
Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia
Belgrade Centre for Human Rights
Citizens Assembly of Serbia
Civic Initiatives
Civil Action
NGO Info Center
Movement for Peace – Pancevo
Good Action Society
Montenegro Student Cultural Center
Montenegro Youth Parliament
Montenegro Cultural Circle
Association of Journalists – Cetinje
Cetinje Information Alliance
Cetinje Environmental and Scout Association
Magazine Voice of the Capital
