Ljubljana, 26 Feb - Today we have received open letter of the Serbian non-governmental organization for protection of human rights with strong international reputation - Humanitarian Law Centre (HLC). In the open letter they are describing vandal attack on their office, passivity of the police during the attack and also permanent verbal attacks, threats and even open appeals to arrest HLC’s director Ms. Natasa Kandic.
On 21 February 2008, around 22:00, after the protest against the independence of Kosovo in Belgrade, Serbia, unidentified persons threw a flare damaging the doorstep and the door of the HLC office. The security guard of the company next door to the HLC office prevented the fire from spreading; putting out the fire after the attackers left the scene. Even though HLC had asked the police to provide security for the HLC office, not a single police officer could be seen either during or after the protest.
Slovenian non-governmental organizations active in the field of human rights protection - Peace Institute, Amnesty International Slovenia and Legal-information Centre for NGOs sent today their protest letter to the Serbian Embassy in Ljubljana, expressing their deep concern and calling the Serbian Government to protect HLC and other human rights organisations and activists in Serbia.
The Slovenian nongovernmental organizations have informed the Slovenian authorities in their capacities of the EU Presidency about the attack on the HLC in Belgrade and about their protest letter to the Serbian Embassy.
For more information please contact:
Humanitarian Law Center
Ms. Natasa Kandic
A: Makenzijeva 67, 11110 Belgrade, Serbia
T/F: ++381 11 344 43 13 / 14
E: office@hlc-rdc.org
I: www.hlc-rdc.org/english/index.php