[A-PAL] A-PAL 2ND ANNIVERSARY STATEMENT/ACTION PLAN

[Alice Mead]

A-PAL 2ND ANNIVERSARY
Albanian Prisoner Advocacy
May 16, 2001

                              A-PAL STATEMENT:
      ** HALT AID TO FRY TIL 140 PRISONERS RELEASED**
1. Enforce Minority Rights/Council of Europe statement
2. Stop the Brussels Donor's Conference for FRY June 29
3. File a Class Action Suit for Torture, Unfair Trials at the Human 
Rights Court/Strasbourg

European nations continue to stumble over themselves in their rush to 
welcome Yugoslavia into international organizations-while at the same 
time, in Serbia, the remaining Albanian prisoners endure prison terms 
of up to 20 years for crimes they didn't commit. On May 11, 
Yugoslavia signed on to the Protection of Minority Rights declaration 
in Strasbourg. All members of the Council of Europe are co-signers. 
Yet only 4 weeks earlier, two Albanians were sentenced to 20 years 
for a crime committed AFTER they were arrested and tortured! How is 
it this was never mentioned? HOW IS THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE WORKING TO 
FREE THESE WRONGLY IMPRISONED CITIZENS?

Foreign Ministers from Norway, Germany, Great Britain all commend 
Yugoslavia for its return to "democracy" and state readiness to give 
financial aid. Without Yugoslavia turning its war criminals over to 
The Hague or releasing the Albanian prisoners!

We urge everyone to petition European leaders to stand up for the 
rights of these prisoners to go home at once. The agenda for the June 
29, 2001 should be challenged.
              *****************************************

          URGENT ACTION---RELEASE LUAN AND BEKIM MAZREKU!
      APRIL 18, 2001__
  LUAN AND BEKIM MAZREKU WERE SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS FOR ALLEGED CRIMES 
IN ORAHOVEC/RAHOVEC THAT OCCURRED TWO WEEKS AFTER THEY WERE ARRESTED 
AND IMPRISONED! THE ONLY EVIDENCE USED IN THIS YEAR-LONG TRIAL WERE 
CONFESSIONS OBTAINED BY TORTURE.

         The Mazreku case is an outrageous example of the type of 
abuse and injustice the Serb Ministry of Justice has long 
practiced-and indeed continues to practice-- in trials of ethnic 
Albanians. They were accused of murdering an Albanian in July 1998, 
who turns out to have committed suicide in 1981. They were also 
accused of raping and murdering a group of Serbs, when in fact they 
had already been arrested and were in jail when the alleged act of 
terrorism took place. They were repeatedly and severely tortured to 
obtain confessions. They were held for over 18 months before their 
trial. Their records and court documents are missing. The 
investigating judge was Danica Marinovic, the same judge who oversaw 
the torture camp at Lipjan Prison and the Dubrava Massacre. They were 
guilty even before the crime occurred -held as scapegoats  simply 
because of their ethnicity. They are now being held in Nis Prison, 
waiting for their appeal before the Serb Supreme Court.

          The Mazreku Trial was outrageously Flawed! We Urge The Serb 
Supreme Court to Overturn their Conviction AND TO REESTABLISH THE 
RULE OF LAW IN SERBIA AND TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL 
NORMS.

   From the trial analysis by HUMANITARIAN LAW CENTER/BELGRADE
Here is evidence entered in their defense. This evidence was denied 
in the first two attempts at a trial.
6. To admit as evidence the 2 July 1998 custody order issued by the 
Priština Police Department for Bekim and Luan Mazreku and the 2 July 
1998 certificate on their admission to jail, in view of the fact that 
they were charged with a criminal offense committed after the date of 
their arrest, i.e. in the 17-22 July 1998 period.


INTERNATIONALS CANNOT ALLOW THIS TYPE OF GROSS INJUSTICE TO CONTINUE 
UNCHECKED. The 140 Albanian Prisoners Must Be Released. Now.

   -------------------------------------------------------

Donor conference for Yugoslavia postponed for June 29
May 15, 2001
Brussels, May 15 (Tanjug) - A planned conference of international 
donors for Yugoslavia will take place in Brussels on June 29, a month 
later than expected, the European Commission said on Monday.
The Commission declined to say why the conference had been postponed. 
According to Reuters, EU diplomats privately linked it to the issue 
of whether Belgrade would cooperate with the international was crimes 
tribunal in The Hague.
The Commission, the EU executive body, has taken the leading role in 
channeling humanitarian aid to Belgrade since former Yugoslav 
president Slobodan Milosevic was ousted last October.
The World Bank is also due to attend the international donor conference.
-----------------------------------------

Protection of all minority rights
May 12, 2001

The Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities 
was adopted in Strasbourg in February 1995. All member countries of 
the Council of Europe acceded to it.

Equal freedoms for national minorities
Strasbourg, May 11 (Tanjug) - Yugoslav Minister of National 
Minorities and Ethnic Communities Rasim Ljajic signed Yugoslavia's 
accedence to the Framework Convention for the Protection of National 
Minorities which forms an integral part of the international 
protection of basic human rights and freedoms.
This Convention provides national minorities and majorities with the 
same rights, and each individual can chose for himself if he wants to 
exercise them as a member of a national minority, without any 
consequences whatsoever.
Accepting this fact as the basis of its attitude towards national 
minorities, Yugoslavia committed itself to act in the spirit of 
tolerance and conformity with the principles of good neighborliness, 
friendly relations and cooperation with other states. This guarantees 
to persons belonging to national minorities the right of equality 
before the law.
The state pledged itself to promote and exercise full equality of 
minority freedoms, as well as those of majorities regarding economic, 
social, political, and cultural rights.
According to Ljajic, the Convention will represent the basis of a new 
policy on national minorities in Yugoslavia, allow maintenance and 
development of minority culture, as well as the preservation of the 
essential elements of their identity regarding religion, language, 
and tradition.
The Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities 
was adopted in Strasbourg in February 1995. All member countries of 
the Council of Europe acceded to it.
----------------------------------------

Djindjic receives Norwegian Foreign Minister
May 15, 2001

Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic
Belgrade, May 14 (Tanjug) - After Monday's meeting in the Serbian 
Government building, Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic and 
Norwegian Foreign Minister Thorbjorn Jaglend expressed satisfaction 
with friendly relations between Norway and Yugoslavia, stressing that 
there were no political differences between the two countries.
Prime Minister Djindjic said he was glad to see the Norwegian Foreign 
Minister in Belgrade for the second time. "Huge crises also have a 
positive aspect - you gain friends you never dreamt would favour you 
so much", he told the press after the meeting.
Djindjic reminded that Norway had supported Yugoslavia over the last 
couple of years, providing it with electricity, humanitarian 
donationsŠ
"Norway still aids our country - it influences the reprogramming of 
our debts, represents our interests in the World Bank", Djindjic 
underscored, adding that continuing Norwegian participation in 
economic and humanitarian projects regarding the FR of Yugoslavia was 
agreed on Monday.
Norwegian Foreign Minister said that the two countries would maintain 
friendly relations, and announced Norwegian financial support to 
Yugoslavia.

Copyright © 1998, 1999, 2000 Ministry of Information
Email: mirs at srbija-info.yu
------------------------------------------------------
Britain sends an urgent aid to Yugoslavia
November 09, 2000
Belgrade, November 8 (Tanjug) - British Foreign Trade Minister 
Richard Cauborne has stated tonight in Belgrade that Great Britain 
will send to Yugoslavia 4 million DM as an urgent short-term aid for 
purchasing energy substances, medical equipment and renewing of water 
system in Novi Sad.
Concerning the British aid over a lengthy period which should be sent 
to revive Yugoslavia's economy and industry, it will arrive through 
international institutions - the United Nations and the European 
Union, in order to ensure a long-term partnership, Cauborne said.
  -----------------------------------------------
Appeals for humanitarian aid
December 05, 2000

UN sent an appeal for humanitarian aid
New York, December 4th - The United Nations has appealed to donors 
throughout the world to provide aid worth 181 million dollars for 
Yugoslavia in 2001, official of the UN office for coordination of 
humanitarian aid, Steven Glisen, told Tanjug in New York.
The relief will be used for programmes which have already begun to be 
realized, especially those intended for refugees and displaced 
persons, but this aid will be also used for new programmes, which 
will cover the most needy - the old, ill people and children.
The UN asked at a meeting with donors last week in Brussels, through 
its office for coordination of aid, for an entire package of 
humanitarian relief for southeastern European countries, including 
Yugoslavia, which will be worth 429 million dollars in total.
According to the official, the world organization hopes that the 
donors will respond to the appeal and provide more relief than before.
The appeal to donors, announced at the UN New York headquarters, said 
that about half a million refugees from Croatia and 
Bosnia-Herzegovina and more than 200,000 displaced persons are 
present in Yugoslavia.
______________________________________

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--------------------
FROM THE SERBIAN CONSTITUTION

Article 23
      No one shall be punished for an act which prior to its 
commission was not provided as a punishable offence by the law or 
statutory instruments based on law, nor be subject to pronouncing a 
punishment which has not been established for such an act by the law.
      Criminal offences and penalties for the offenders may be 
established only by law.
      No one may be considered guilty of a criminal offence until so 
proven by a final judgment of a court of law.
      A person who has been unjustifiably convicted for a criminal 
offence or wrongfully deprived of liberty shall be entitled to 
compensation of damage from public funds, as well as to other rights 
established by law.
Article 24
      Every person is guaranteed the right to defend himself and to 
engage a defense attorney, to represent him before the court of law 
or other agency competent for conducting the proceedings.
      No one accessible to the court or another agency authorized to 
conduct proceedings may be punished without being afforded an 
opportunity to be interrogated and to defend himself
      Every person is entitled to have a defense attorney of his 
choice present at his hearing.
      The law shall determine the cases when an accused must have a 
defense attorney.
Article 25
      Every person is entitled to compensation of property and 
non-property damage inflicted on him through unlawful or irregular 
work of an official or a State agency or organisation exercising 
public powers, in accordance with law.
      The damages shall be paid by the Republic of Serbia or the 
organisation exercising public powers.
Article 26
      Respect for the human being and his dignity shall be guaranteed 
in criminal and any other proceedings, in the event of deprivation or 
restriction of liberty, as well as during imprisonment.
      No one shall be subject to torture, humiliating punishment or treatment.
      It is prohibited to use a man, without his consent, as on object 
in medical and other scientific experiments.


-------------------------------------------

The European Commission aid
November 09, 2000


Brussels, November 8 (Tanjug) - The European Commission has approved, 
today, at the meeting in Brussels, delivery of an urgent aid to 
Serbia to the value of 180 million of euros, which will be used for, 
first of all, improvement of energetic situation in the country, for 
purchasing fuel and drugs.
The aid will be send "in fifteen days", according to the European 
Commission statement in Brussels. Approved aid, which the European 
Parliament allocated, is part of "package of support" that 
participants of the European Union Summit in Biarritz, approved after 
the democratic changes.

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