Belgrade 6

Human Rights continue to be violated in Serbia, the country that strives to become a part of the EU. With current state policies fueled by money of mafia the European perspective of Serbia is unacceptable.

CASE STUDY: Belgrade 6
On Saturday, September 4, 2009, five* political activists were arrested in Belgrade on trumped up charges. The five, Tadej Kurepa, Ivan Vulović, Sanja Dojkić, Ratibor Trivunac, and Nikola Mitrović, are activists in or associates of the Anarcho-Syndicalist Initiative (ASI), the Serbian section of the International Workers’ Association (IWA). (*The sixth person sought by police, Ivan Savić, was also arrested some days later.)
The arrests are allegedly related to a direct action which took place at the Greek Embassy on August 25. Negligible damage was done: a crack in one window, a tiny burn mark on the facade and a circled A graffiti on the embassy as a act of symbolic solidarity with Thodoros Iliopoulos. The prosecutor however imagines this as an act of “international terrorism” and would like to charge our comrades with such. If the state allows such charges to be pressed, they could be facing 3-15 years in prison.

Members of ASI have clearly and publicly declared that they knew nothing of the action, which was claimed by a group nobody has heard of, Crni Ilja. It is not the first time that authorities have come after activists for no other reason than the fact that they are radical critics of the state. Powerful stakeholders are involved, and ASI activists were on their way, therefore they were silenced and put in prison.

The activist were in prison for several month without being informed about any charges, but in November they were accused in „international terrorism” and the trial took place. ON DECEMBER 7, THE COURT DECIDED TO HOLD THE 6 IN CUSTODY UNTIL THEIR TRIAL. THIS IS EXPECTED TO TAKE PLACE IN SPRING AT THE EARLIEST.

Now solidarity and media attention to this case is highly needed, as the activists are facing serious accusation without proof of their fault. What you can do is at least e-mai a protest letter to high Serbian officials, including the president and prime minister. You can access it here: http://asi.zsp.net.pl/free-the-anarchists/emailpage/
Sample letter from Slovenia can be found here: http://chtodelat.wordpress.com/2009/12/15/free-the-belgrade-six/