Serbia and Montenegro: Amnesty International urges the honouring of human rights commitments
On the occasion of Serbia and Montenegro's ratification of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights
and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR) and the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture, Amnesty International today
released a report: Serbia and Montenegro: Amnesty International's concerns and Serbia and Montenegro's commitments to
the Council of Europe, (AI Index: EUR 70/002/2004). (View the full report online at http://amnesty-news.c.topica.com/maab0mJaa4QV6bb0hPub/ )
Amnesty International welcomed the steps, such as the ratification of the ECHR, taken by Serbia and Montenegro (SCG)
towards fulfilling some of the commitments taken by SCG on entering the Council of Europe in April last year. However,
the organization remains concerned at SCG's ongoing failure to fulfil some of the key commitments, notably those
referring to addressing the past legacy of war crimes, and the continuing prevalence of police torture and
ill-treatment. Amnesty International called on the Council of Europe to take cognizance of the lack of progress, and to
use its influence to help SCG fully fulfil its commitments aimed at ensuring respect for and protection of human rights
of all persons.
In the report, Amnesty International deplores the refusal by the authorities to transfer to the International Criminal
Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (Tribunal) people indicted for war crimes and crimes against humanity such as Sreten
Lukiæ who remains in office as Serbian Assistant Interior Minister and Chief of Public Security Department. He and three
other generals, former army chief Nebojša Pavkoviæ, former commander of Priština Corps Vladimir Lazareviæ, and former
Assistant Interior Minister and former Chief of Public Security Department Vlastimir Ðorðeviæ, were indicted by the
Tribunal on 2 October 2003 for crimes against humanity and violating the laws or customs of law in Kosovo in 1999. By
refusing to transfer them, the authorities are obstructing the Tribunal in bringing alleged perpetrators to justice.
Amnesty International continues to call for all those responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity to be
brought to justice. In the report the organization especially noted the scandal of Batajnica, where over 700 murdered
Kosovo Albanian civilians were buried in secret graves in an Interior Ministry compound, and that after over four and
half years still no domestic indictments have been served for this crime against humanity. Amnesty International also
calls for the introduction of legislation criminalizing command responsibility for certain crimes under international
humanitarian law, including war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Amnesty International also remains deeply concerned about allegations of torture and ill-treatment of detainees by
security forces and the apparent lack of adequate, if any, investigations into these widespread and credible allegations
of torture including asphyxiation by taping bags over the head, beatings, electric shocks to the head and body, and mock
executions. The organization believes that there are serious deficiencies in addressing ongoing police torture and
ill-treatment at all levels in the system: from the police, through to the prosecutors and investigative judges, on to
the judgments of some of the courts themselves including problems in implementing court decisions awarding damages to
victims. The combination of these failures has perpetuated a climate of impunity similarly to that surrounding war
crimes and crimes against humanity.
The report also detailed Amnesty International's concerns at the continuing discrimination against Roma, especially
Kosovo Roma displaced following the 1999 conflict, as well as concerns at aspects of legislation which for the first
time introduced a genuine alternative to military service for conscientious objectors.
Read the report "Serbia and Montenegro: Amnesty International's concerns and Serbia and Montenegro's commitments to the
Council of Europe" online at http://amnesty-news.c.topica.com/maab0mJaa4QV6bb0hPub/
View all documents on Serbia and Montenegro at http://amnesty-news.c.topica.com/maab0mJaa4QV7bb0hPub/