SARAJEVO, Nov 21 (Hina) - The Bosnian Helsinki Committee for Human Rights believes basic human rights have been violated in numerous cases in Bosnia after September 11 under the excuse of the fight against terrorism, the committee's
president Srdjan Dizdarevic said in Sarajevo Wednesday. He added the harshest violations of human rights are contained in the fact that Bosnia has extradited around 20 persons to countries which practice capital punishment or torture prisoners. Speaking at a round table dedicated to the human rights situation in Bosnia after the terrorist attacks on the United States, Dizdarevic estimated that 98 persons have been stripped of their citizenship in a completely unacceptable manner. He added it was also unacceptable that some arrests have been made by the members of SFOR. Dizdarevic warned that the representatives of the international community are preparing amendments
SARAJEVO, Nov 21 (Hina) - The Bosnian Helsinki Committee for Human
Rights believes basic human rights have been violated in numerous
cases in Bosnia after September 11 under the excuse of the fight
against terrorism, the committee's president Srdjan Dizdarevic
said in Sarajevo Wednesday.
He added the harshest violations of human rights are contained in
the fact that Bosnia has extradited around 20 persons to countries
which practice capital punishment or torture prisoners.
Speaking at a round table dedicated to the human rights situation in
Bosnia after the terrorist attacks on the United States, Dizdarevic
estimated that 98 persons have been stripped of their citizenship
in a completely unacceptable manner. He added it was also
unacceptable that some arrests have been made by the members of
SFOR.
Dizdarevic warned that the representatives of the international
community are preparing amendments to laws in Bosnia which are in
contrast with the United Nations Charter, and which refer to
changes to criminal legislation and to the law on immigration and
asylum.
Taking part in a discussion, a member of the Bosnian Presidency,
Beriz Beklic, said there had been violations of human rights in his
country from September 11, but this was logical considering that at
the state level there is nobody who would take care about the
security of Bosnia and its citizens and that all measures on the
state level depended on the good will of entities.
Belkic also believes that the international community
representatives reacted quite nervously by asking for the
undertaking of urgent measures in the fight against terrorism, and
the non-existence of state bodies of authority is what caused them
to make suggestions themselves about what needs to be done.
The Republika Srpska Helsinki Committee President, Branko
Todorovic, warned about the fact that the authorities of the
Bosnian Serb entity tried to manipulate danger of terrorism, namely
to slow down and obstruct the return of refugees.
Todorovic said Bosniak returnees in particular were the victims of
a campaign which tried to introduce them as terrorists. "The
Republika Srpska authorities were not made responsible for this",
Todorovic added.
(hina) np sb