[ALBSA-Info] {QIKSH «ALBEUROPA»} NEWS: Amnesty Calls on Yugoslavia to Arrest Milosevic (Reuters, December 5, 2000)

[Wolfgang Plarre]

http://news.excite.com/news/r/001205/19/international-yugoslavia-amnesty-dc

Amnesty Calls on Yugoslavia to Arrest Milosevic

Updated 7:27 PM ET December 5, 2000

LONDON (Reuters) - Amnesty International called on Yugoslavia's
President Vojislav Kostunica Wednesday to order the arrest of former
President Slobodan Milosevic and other indicted war criminals.
    As the European Union considered the first steps toward integration
of Yugoslavia into the EU, the international community should be
reminded of human rights violations perpetrated by the previous regime
in Belgrade, Amnesty said in a statement.
    "President Kostunica must order the arrest of indicted suspects,
including former President Milosevic, and their transfer to the custody
of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia," the
London-based human rights group said.
    The U.N. tribunal indicted Milosevic last year for atrocities
committed by his forces against ethnic Albanians in the southern
province of Kosovo that prompted NATO to launch a 77-day air war.
    Chief Prosecutor Carla del Ponte has told the U.N. Security Council
that Milosevic must be extradited to stand trial before The Hague-based
court.
    However, Kostunica has indicated since taking office that he would
prefer to see Milosevic face charges in Yugoslavia rather than in a
foreign country.
    A mass uprising in October forced Milosevic, long shunned by the
West for his role in Balkan wars over the past decade, to admit defeat
in Yugoslav presidential elections.
    Amnesty called for an end to what it called the impunity enjoyed by
those suspected of having committed war crimes during the conflicts in
Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo.
    "President Kostunica must address the culture of impunity (in
Yugoslavia), not only for violations of international humanitarian law,
but also for violations of both domestic criminal codes and of
international standards," it said.
    Amnesty said arrests, harassment and ill-treatment of opposition
groups, journalists and non-governmental organizations who opposed the
Milosevic government were widespread.
    "In order to demonstrate that impunity for human rights violations
is now over ... complaints made relating to allegations of ill-treatment
by the police under the previous government should be fully and
impartially investigated," Amnesty said.
    "Law enforcement officers suspected of ill-treatment should be
brought to justice and victims should receive fair and adequate
compensation."

© 2000 Reuters Limited.


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