On 14 July 1996, freelance journalist Slobodan Rackovic was taken to a police station in Petrovac where he was held for more than three hours. No formal charges were laid against him; rather, the police said that he had been brought in for an “informative talk.” In addition, Rackovic’s house was searched while he was […]
On 14 July 1996, freelance journalist Slobodan Rackovic was taken
to a police station in Petrovac where he was held for more than
three hours. No formal charges were laid against him; rather, the
police said that he had been brought in for an “informative
talk.” In addition, Rackovic’s house was searched while he was
being detained. The “talk” was continued the next day.
It appears that Rackovic was detained at the request of Vladimir
Susovic, the Public Prosecutor for Montenegro, not for any
legitimate legal reason but as a result of a personal dispute
between him and Rackovic that stems from the beginning of the
civil war in the former Yugoslavia, when Rackovic used to write
about the plundering taking place in the Dubrovnik area of
Montenegro by the Yugoslav National Army and certain
“volunteers.” Furthermore, at recent press conferences, Rackovic
had asked if those responsible, including Susovic, for the
arrests of Bosnian refugees in Montenegro and their subsequent
extradition to the Republika Srpska would be removed from their
positions.
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disputes an extreme attack on fundamental human rights, adding
that the use of the police to intimidate Slobodan Rackovic
constitutes an attack on press freedom
responsibility for upholding the law and ensuring that human
rights are respected (Susovic) would act in such an undemocratic
manner
fully enjoy his rights as a citizen and freely exercise his
profession
Appeals To
Vladimir Susovic
Public Prosecutor
Montenegro
Filip Vujanovic
Minister of the Interior
Montenegro
both via the Ministry of Information for the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia, fax: +381 11 600 446
Please copy appeals to the originator if possible.
