44 NGO's
Against Legitimization of Violence
February 29, 2008
Forty-four non-governmental organizations strongly
condemn the last in the series of impermissible statements by Minister
for Infrastructure Velimir Ilic, whereby he directly and openly
instigates violence against political opponents, in the first place
against the Liberal Democratic Party. On February 27, 2008 Minister Ilic
said that the regime could not protect the people "advocating that
Kosovo belongs not to us from being beaten up by someone who comes from
Kosovo." His statement was actually a call for the lynch of all
individuals who think differently.
We underline that in the entire history of Serbia no
official has ever so overtly urged violence against political opponents.
Not even has the Milosevic regime so openly invoked the killing and
violence as today's ministers in the Serbian cabinet do.
Forty-four non-governmental organizations require the
public prosecutor to institute proceedings against Velimir Ilic and
investigate the government's responsibility for the Minister's assaults.
We also demand the President of the Republic of Serbia to react and take
a clear-cut stand on the calls for violence that have been spiraling
over the past weeks.
This release has been circulated to all relevant
international and European organizations, as well as to diplomatic
missions in Serbia.
Committee of Lawyers for Human Rights - YUCOM
Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia
Belgrade Center for Human Rights
Center for Cultural Decontamination
Civil Initiatives
Women in Black
Lawyers for Democracy
Belgrade Circle
Anti-trafficking Center
Coalition against Hate Speech
Independent Journalists' Association of Vojvodina
Center for Regionalism, Novi Sad
Vojvodina Center for Human Rights
Regional Center for Conscientious Objection
Open Lyceum, Sombor
Citizens' Forum, Stara Pazova
Center for Development of Civil Society
Queeria
Sandzak Committee for the Protection of Human
Rights and Freedoms
Sandzak Intellectual Circle
Women in Black from Leskovac, Vlasotince, Vrbas,
Velika Plana, Kraljevo, Kruševac, Kikinda, Becej, Pancevo, Pirot,
Zajecar, Niš, Zrenjanin, Novi Pazar, Bor, Vranje, Dimitrovgrad,
Babušnica, Boljevac and Tutin
SOS Vlasotince
Esperanca, Novi Sad
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