[A-PAL] A-PAL NEWSLETTER/NOVEMBER 27, 2000

[Alice Mead]

A-PAL--ALBANIAN PRISONER ADVOCACY
NOVEMBER 27, 2000


             A-PAL STATEMENT: MORE RIOTS IN NIS PRISON

Once more, riots have broken out in Nis Prison where some 300 
Albanians are, to our knowledge, still being held. The guards have 
left the prison, and this time, the violence is serious.Hundreds have 
been hurt. President Kostunica's words of last week--that the 
"Albanian prisoners would return home alive"-- have thus taken on an 
ominous new implication. Will the lives of the Albanians be 
threatened in these renewed riots? Why haven't the Albanian 
prisoners, who Kofi Annan charged Kostunica with providing safety 
for, been evacuated? Why haven't they been released? The West has 
given Yugoslavia every possible support since the October elections, 
rushing emergency funds in, granting readmission to the UN and 
OSCE--while the prisoners and their families wait endlessly for their 
release.
Recent outbreaks of violence along the Preshevo border between Serbia 
and Kosova should be in no way linked to the ongoing human rights 
violation of keeping these Albanians hostage. The following letter 
from the International Federation of Human Rights to the OSCE Council 
makes this plain as well. Outsiders must step up their pressure on 
this issue. THE LIVES OF THESE 750 PRISONERS ARE AT STAKE.


______________________________________________________________


FIDH OPEN LETTER TO
THE OSCE MINISTERIAL COUNCIL
27/28 NOVEMBER, 2000

The International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH), very concerned by
the situation of fundamental freedoms in Chechnya, the Federal Republic
of Yugoslavia and Kyrgyzstan, would like to draw the attention of the
OSCE Ministerial Council on these issues :

(...)

Federal Republic of Yugoslavia :

The FIDH wishes to call to the attention of the OSCE the issue of the
Albanian Prisoners in Kosovo, captured by Serbian forces in spring 1999
during NATO bombings, and brought to Serbia in June, after the signature
of Kumanovo's agreement, in violation of the laws of war.
      The FIDH, of course, welcomes the release of Flora Brovina, poet,
paediatrician, eminent human rights defender and an emblematic figure of
the Albanian resistance, but today, 850 Albanian prisoners still remain
in prison where their security is now being endangered.
      Some of the prisoners already condemned by the Serbian courts after
unfair trials (empty files, denial of the rights of the accused), are
serving long-term prison sentences while others are still in preventive
detention after more than one year following their arrests. They are
also subjected to torture and bad treatments.
      As long as the prisoners' issue will not be resolved, the
reconciliation between Serbs and Albanians will not be possible, neither
any new negotiation.
      The future of these prisoners, who are real hostages, cannot be
negotiated.
      At a time when the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia has won
recognition again from the international community, the FIDH calls on
the States to put pressure on the authorities of FRY, so that these
prisoners be released. The new government's will to establish a real
democratic Republic will be evaluated on this question, as well as its
intention to conform with the obligation to respect the Rule of
democracy and human rights, which it accepted, in particular by joining
the OSCE recently.
      The FIDH finally appeals to the authorities of FRY to fully
co-operate with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former
Yugoslavia, notably by surrendering the persons already convicted to the
Hague, among which Slobodan Milosevic must be counted as the first. The
individuals who perpetrated crimes during the wars in Bosnia, Croatia
and Kosovo must be identified and duly punished.

(...)
_______________________________________________________________________
http://www.freeb92.net/archive/e/index.phtml?Y=2000&M=11&D=27

FreeB92
Last update: Nov 27, 2000 19:26 CET

Anarchy in Nis prison

16:16 The Nis prison is in uproar today following a decision by guards
at the facility to walk out until the prison management is replaced.
     Beta reports sources in the prison describing the situation as
"anarchy" with several inmates seriously injured.
     Guards have refused to enter the high-security area of the prison
since last month's riots because, they say, the situation has remained
volatile.
     One guard told Beta that almost a hundred prisoners had been removed
from the security area after being beaten.
     The same source said that a massive battle was going on in the
prison, with one prisoner having been nailed to a table and other
serious assaults taking place.
     Guards had entered the security area on Saturday with guns drawn,
forcing the rioting prisoners to retreat.
     "We had to go in to protect our people," said Beta's source, adding
that the prisoners had savagely attacked one another.
     One prisoner confirmed for Beta by telephone that the guards had
retreated from the maximum security section.
     Asked about the fights among the prisoners, he replied "We were just
punishing informants".

Guards walk out of Nis prison

14:00 NIS, Monday - Guards at the Nis prison have walked out in protest
at what they call the irresponsible attitude of warden Mile Djordjevic.
     Representatives of the guards have demanded that the Justice
Ministry dismiss the prison management.
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