The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Serbia & Montenegro.

Brief description of the situation:

The International Secretariat of OMCT has received information from a reliable source of the arbitrary arrest detention and ill-treatment of Mr. Aleksandar Petrovic and Mr. Ivan Marinkovic, residents of Belgrade, by the Stari Grad police officials of Belgrade.

According to the information received, around midnight on 5 July 2005 three uniformed police officers from Stari Grad police station entered the flat belonging to Aleksandar Petrovic in Belgrade without authorisation and brutally beat Mr. Petrovic and his friend Mr. Marinkovic.

The police stated that they attended Mr. Petrovic's flat due to noise complaints from Mr. Petrovic's neighbours. Mr. Petrovic complied with the police request to turn down the music and then closed the door to the flat. Upon doing so, the police broke the door down and started yelling insults and beating the two men. The beatings reportedly continued until 11:00 a.m. Mr. Petrovic was handcuffed, knocked down and then batoned, kicked and punched in the head and body. While being escorted to the police van, Mr. Petrovic was not allowed to put his shoes on or lock his flat. He continued to be beaten in the police van and while at the police station. Mr. Markinovic was repeatedly beaten and humiliated at the police station. He was beaten on his feet and as a result required medical treatment.

According to the information received, both men were detained at the police station until noon without being told the reason or served with any detention and release order. Under threat of detention and unspecified criminal charges, both men were forced to sign statements, the contents of which remained unknown to them. The police then took away Mr. Petrovic's identity card without reason and refused to return it.

Injuries suffered by both men were later substantiated by doctors. Mr. Petrovic suffered headaches, fainting spells and blood in his urine. Mr. Marinkovic also suffered serious injuries. Apart from the physical injuries, a thief stole money and several items from Mr. Petrovic's flat while he was in police custody.

Mr. Petrovic has addressed written complaints about his treatment to the Deputy Head of the Stari Grad police station and the Office of the Minister of Internal Affairs.

OMCT condemns the arbitrary arrest and detention as well as ill-treatment suffered by Mr. Petrovic and Mr. Marinkovic. OMCT calls on the Serbian authorities to launch an impartial investigation into the circumstances of these events, notably the allegations of ill-treatment, in order to bring perpetrators to justice and to award adequate reparation to victims.

Actions requested:

Please write to the authorities in Serbia urging them to:

1. Ensure the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Aleksander Petrovic and Mr. Ivan Marinkovic;
2. Guarantee that Mr. Petrovic and Mr. Marinkovic receive all necessary medical treatment;
3. Ensure an immediate and impartial investigation into the above-mentioned alleged acts of intimidation and torture in order to identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions provided for by law;
4. Guarantee adequate reparation is provided to the afore-mentioned victims;
5. Guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
   
   

Addresses:

- Mr. Svetozar Marovic, President of Serbia and Montenegro, Bulevar Mihaila Pupina 2, 11070 Novi Beograd, Fax: 381 11 3015055 / 3113944, E-mail: kabinet@predsednikscg.yu

- Mr. Vojislav Kostunica, Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, Nemanjina 11, 11000 Beograd, Serbia and Montenegro. Fax: +381 11 3617585; 657379; 3617698; Email: ooc@srbija.sr.gov.yu

- Mr. Zoran Stojkovic, Minister of Justice, The Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Serbia, Nemanjina 22-26, fax: +381 11 3620596, Email: kabinetmp@mpravde.sr.gov.yu

- Mr. Vuk Draskovic, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia and Montenegro, SMIP, Kneza Milosa 26, 11000 Beograd, Serbia and Montenegro, Fax: +381 11 3618052 / 3618010, Email: smip@smip.sv.gov.yu; mfa@smip.sv.gov.yu

- Mr. Dragan Jocic, Minister of Interior of the Republic of Serbia, Kneza Milosa 101, fax: +381 11 3617585 / +381 11 3617814, Email: muprs@mup.sr.gov.yu

- Ambassador Mr. Dejan Sahovic, Permanent Mission of Serbia and Montenegro to the United Nations in Geneva, 5 Chemin Thury, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland, Fax: + 41 22 839 33 59, Email: mission.Serbia-and-montenegro@bluemail.ch

Please also write to the embassies of Serbia and Montenegro in your respective country.

Geneva, 27 July, 2005

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.