Institute for European Affairs strongly condemns attack to Youth Initiative for Human Rights activists at debate in Beška, on January 17th, organized by ruling Serbian Progressive Party, where convicted war criminal Veselin Šljivančanin participated as guest speaker.
Action and performance of Youth Initiative for Human Rights that sent message that war criminals should stay silent so victims can speak represented legitimate expression of opinion. Reaction to it was violence. Disregarding cameras and media representatives, organizers attacked activists and allowed lynch. All activists suffered injuries, and two of them heavily.
Justifications violence that we heard from leaders of Serbian Progressive Party, misinterpretations, even denial that violence that can be seen on video happened, additionally bounds Prosecutor’s Office to act fast. We invite Prosecutor’s Office to identify perpetrators from the video, and start process against them and organizers.
Institute for European Affairs is asking president Tomislav Nikolić and PM Aleksandar Vučić are last night’s events consequence of their legitimization of Šljivančanin, and aggressive warmonger rhetoric’s they used in past days. We also ask Serbian Progressive Party what is the point and purpose of organizing debates with convicted war criminal?
Veselin Šljivančanin is convicted by ICTY for crimes committed against Croatian civilians and prisoners of war at Ovčara near Vukovar, in fall of 1991. 265 victims were killed in massacre, and their bodies were found in mass graves prepared in advance.
Belgrade,
January 19th 2017
