Q:
A:
Human rights defenders must not be hindered
Belgrade,
18 December 2008
Assistant Minister for Human and Minority Rights Sanja Sarovic-Kuzic, who opening the meeting “Human Rights Defenders”, stressed that close cooperation with the civil sector is of huge importance, both for the Ministry and the government.
At the meeting, organised by the Ministry, together with the UNHCR and the OSCE mission in Serbia, Sarovic-Kuzic noted that without respect for human rights there can be no democratic society, adding that the Ministry is under a legal and moral obligation to protect those who advocate human rights and prevent any obstructions to their work.
Head of the UNHCR in Serbia Lenart Kotsalainen stressed that the state must do all it can to ensure the safety of those who defend human rights, so that their assistance is available to all citizens.
Kotsalainen noted that their work is important for the whole of society and any attack on them is an attack at the very fibre of society.
Human rights defenders must have personal safety and be enabled to work freely, he said, adding that it is the state’s obligation to ensure this.
Director of the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights Biljana Kovacevic-Vuco said that in the Serbian criminal court there is no statute concerning cases of endangerment of safety, so in such cases it is only possible to file a private law suit.
She recalled that the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of Human Rights Defenders in 1999, which clearly defines the rights and obligations of human rights defenders.
The Declaration of Human Rights Defenders and the report of UN Special Representative for Human Rights Hina Jilani on the position of human rights defenders in Serbia, resulting from her visit to Serbia from September 17 to 19, 2007, were presented at the meeting.
According to the report Serbia has made progress in this respect but human rights protectors still work in a hostile environment.
Human rights defenders should be officially recognised by the authorities and be granted legitimacy, concluded the report.
Head of the UNHCR in Serbia Lenart Kotsalainen stressed that the state must do all it can to ensure the safety of those who defend human rights, so that their assistance is available to all citizens.
Kotsalainen noted that their work is important for the whole of society and any attack on them is an attack at the very fibre of society.
Human rights defenders must have personal safety and be enabled to work freely, he said, adding that it is the state’s obligation to ensure this.
Director of the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights Biljana Kovacevic-Vuco said that in the Serbian criminal court there is no statute concerning cases of endangerment of safety, so in such cases it is only possible to file a private law suit.
She recalled that the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of Human Rights Defenders in 1999, which clearly defines the rights and obligations of human rights defenders.
The Declaration of Human Rights Defenders and the report of UN Special Representative for Human Rights Hina Jilani on the position of human rights defenders in Serbia, resulting from her visit to Serbia from September 17 to 19, 2007, were presented at the meeting.
According to the report Serbia has made progress in this respect but human rights protectors still work in a hostile environment.
Human rights defenders should be officially recognised by the authorities and be granted legitimacy, concluded the report.
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