With its decision to prohibit the Pride Parade, the state has jeopardised fundamental human rights and demonstrated that it does not have the strength to ensure abidance by the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia and guarantee safety to all its citizens. In the view of the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights, the prohibition, the unlawfulness of which will quite probably be confirmed by both domestic and international courts, is unquestionably a major step backwards and may mark the point after which the state authorities will have become even more insensitive to various forms of discrimination and human rights violations. Like in the previous years, the numerous statements made this year by the state officials demonstrated the lack of resolve and commitment to civic values. Their frequent equal apportionment of blame for last year’s riots to the hooligans and the Pride Parade organisers is not only disgraceful and untrue; it also demonstrates lack of strength to put an end to hate and violence. (more…)

Regulations have prevented a number of Serbia’s citizens from exercising their right to an identification card for quite some time now. Some cannot exercise this right because they do not have a permanent or temporary place of residence, which is one of the prerequisites for obtaining an ID card under the present regulations. Namely, no citizen of the Republic of Serbia may apply for his or her basic personal documents unless s/he is registered as a resident at a specific address. (more…)

The Belgrade Centre for Human Rights condemns the abuse of a Roma boy by members of the police force in a police station in Vršac and calls for the competent institutions, above all, the prosecution and court, to undertake the measures envisaged by law and adequately punish the perpetrators of this criminal act. The Belgrade Centre reiterates that the state is not doing enough to prevent and punish torture and other methods of abuse. The sentences envisaged by the Criminal Code for these acts are inappropriately lenient, as is the sentencing policy of courts. Additionally, proceedings against perpetrators that encompass an element of abuse are rare and inefficient, so that perpetrators are most often unpunished. (more…)

The non-governmental organisations are pleased to conclude that Ratko Mladić’s arrest demonstrates that there is political will and sufficient capacity in Serbia  to put an end to the years-long hiding of the Hague indictee. Impunity – a principle we have witnessed for years – has lost its might with Mladić’s arrest and we expect that the Mladić case will finally move from speculations to court, which will establish his individual accountability. (more…)

On Wednesday 12th May in Media Center, Belgrade Centre for human rights presented diplomas to participants for successfully attending eight-month school for journalists. The school was implemented in project “Promoting responsible and professional reporting on the fight against organized crime, war crimes, discrimination and domestic  violence ” supported by Balkan Trust Fund for Democracy.

Belgrade Centre for Human Rights invites you to attend the award of diplomas for students who were in the past eight months successfully attended school for journalists under the project Promoting responsible and professional reporting on issues of organized crime, war crimes, discrimination and domestic violence supported by The Balkan Trust – The Project of the German Marshall Fund.
Diplomas will be awarded in the Media Centre in  Belgrade, May 12. 2011, in the 11th hours am, conference room on the first floor. More about project , you can see here.