With regard to the UN International Day In Support of Victims of Torture, the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) would like to notify the public that the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture came into force on 22 June 2006. Serbia, unfortunately, is not one of the 20 states that have ratified the Optional Protocol. (more…)

The Belgrade Centre for Human Rights appeals to all organs of the State, and in particular to the National Assembly, to take urgent measures to preserve the constitutional guarantees of human rights in the Republic of Serbia. If it be allowed to happen that, after the dissolution of the State Union, the Charter of Human and Minority Rights of Serbia and Montenegro cease to be in force in Serbia, the latter would fully return to its 1990 Constitution and her citizens will again become victims of an outdated understanding of human rights. Whereas the Charter represents a modern document which precisely and fully guarantees fundamental rights of human beings and citizens and which has attracted wide recognition, the major deficiencies of the current constitution lie precisely in its provisions on human rights. It, for instance, does not prohibit slavery and forced labour! In this constitution, the right to liberty and security of person is incomplete and minority rights are far below the standard of the Charter. Even those rights that are formally guaranteed can easily be derogated or restricted.

The Belgrade Centre for Human Rights is concerned by the atmosphere in which decisions impacting on Serbia’s media scene are reached and implemented and their effect on the realisation of the right to freedom of expression and media and the democratic transition of Serbia’s society. The Republican Broadcasting Agency and its Council are without doubt legally empowered to take decisions on the allocation of radio and television broadcasting frequencies and to apply appropriate punitive measures. However, both they and the Serbian National Assembly, Government and all other participants in the process are also doubtlessly obliged to bear in mind the importance of the media and ensure the independence of regulatory bodies passing such critical decisions. (more…)

A group of Serbia-based NGOs hereby expresses its dissatisfaction with the manner in which the candidate for Serbia’s first Republican Protector of Citizens (Ombudsperson) was put forward on 3 April 2006. Although the deadline for the nomination of candidates had expired on 24 March, the candidacy testifies of the fact that no serious preparations or consultations on the candidate were held. We maintain it is inappropriate for a society aspiring to be democratic to nominate the (only) candidate for such an important post with such haste, without debate or broad expert and public support.  (more…)

The Belgrade Centre for Human Rights is surprised by the latest draft Act on Churches and Religious Communities submitted by the Government to the Assembly for adoption.  The Centre had gained the impression that the practice of formulating important laws had significantly improved in Serbia when a draft Act, the fruit of nearly three years of constructive consultations between the Ministry of Religion, religious communities and NGOs and reflecting a consensus of the parties concerned, was produced in June 2005.   Unfortunately, the Centre’s optimism proved unfounded. The June 05 draft disappeared and a new Draft Act, problematic in many ways, was tabled. This leads to the conclusion that the Government was merely going through the motions of consultations and public debates and that it genuinely does not realise the vital necessity of passing good and lasting laws. Not even the numerous comments by the Venice Commission, whose advice was sought, were taken into account. (more…)

The exhibition of works by 55 Serbian high-school students who took part in the competition Let’s Get to Know the European Union – Let’s Join, was held on 30 January 2006 from 12 to 14 hrs in the Belgrade gallery Ozon. The authors of the best works were awarded prizes by Belgrade Centre for Human Rights Director Prof. Vojin Dimitrijević, Serbian Government EU Integrations Office Director Dr. Tanja Miščević, Serbian Assistant Education Minister charged with secondary education Mr. Bogoljub Lazarević, European Agency for Reconstruction (EAR) spokesman Mr. John White and Ms. Tatjana Stojić of the Fund for an Open Society (FOS). (more…)