KËSHILLI PËR TË DREJTAT E NJERIUT
ODBOR ZA LJUDSKA PRAVA
COUNCIL FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

Ramiz Sadiku, 50
17523 Preshevë, Serbi
Tel: +381 (0)17/660-754
+ 381 (0) 63-7797 570
E-mail: kdnjpmb@gmail.com

Dear Sir/Madam,
On 10 December 2011, on the occasion of the international day of human rights, the Council of Human Right in Southern Serbia had organised a protest to request a solution for the diploma of ethnic Albanians living in Southern Serbia. This peaceful protest was organised in cooperation with the youth forum’s of all ethnic Albanian political parties in Serbia and supported by more than 50 Serbian NGOs in the country.

All measures and procedures for holding a peaceful protest were respected, and the demonstration was announced in accordance with the applicable legislation in the Republic of Serbia.

Approximately 5000 persons participated at the manifestation which ended without any incident.

However, on 30 of May 2011, nearly six months after these protests, I have been invited to the Ministry of Internal Affairs Office in Presevo in order to give a statement concerning the protest. Their main concern was the billboard prepared for the protest which contained a message addressed to Mr. Milan Markovic, Minister for Human Rights and Minorities, Administration and Local Self-Government, as well as the chairman of the Coordination Body for the municipalities of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedje. The billboard is a picture of a diploma for Mr Markovic for not respecting the Human Rights in Serbia. I enclose a copy of the original billboard in Cyrillic.

The police inspector informed me that a judicial procedure is filed against me in accordance with Article 174 of the Penal Code of the Republic of Serbia which refers to “damaging of reputation for racial, religious, ethnic or other belongings …” The file is pending for the Prosecutor of Vranje confirmation or rejection of the accusation charges. The maximum sentence foreseen by this Article is one year imprisonment. I attach copies of the two separate invitations from the police.
On behalf of the Council of Human Right for Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja, I consider that there are no legal basis for such a procedure, which I would qualify as a political oppression on the civilians and their request for the respect of the individual and collective rights. As a result we intend to organise a press conference shortly with all Albanian political parties in Serbia. This press conference is supported by the Serbian human rights organisations as was the case for the peaceful manifestation in December 2010.

I would hope that your organisation would support our case and raise your concerns directly with the Serbian authorities.

Belgzim Kamberi, Bujanovac, 31 may 2011
President of Council of Human Right