Helsinki Committee: “The Situation in Serbia Has All Characteristics of a State of Emergency”

Students in Nis (BETAPHOTO/SASA DJORDJEVIC/)

The Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia on May 13 said that “the situation in Serbia has all characteristics of a state of emergency, due to a deep political crisis and escalating security destabilization.”

In its document titled “A Report on the Current State and Threat to Human Security, Human Rights, and Freedoms in the Republic of Serbia,” the Helsinki Committee warns of a noticeable increase in threats to personal security, including threats to participants in peaceful protests, threats from extremists targeting citizens’ physical security, the lack of the rule of law, and other aspects. The report covers the period from Jan. 15 to March 31.

“Members of the ruling coalition often claim in public that they have strong support from the majority of citizens and that they are fully capable to deal with current challenges,” it is said in the document, adding that “at the same time, they tend to oversimplify the problems they face..” The report also notes that the parliamentary opposition does not have a unified approach or coordinated strategy, both in the parliament and in public.

The chapter dealing with media outlets notes that commercial TV stations with national frequency, such as TV Pink, TV Prva, TV Happy, and TV B92 “act as the backbone of the government’s propaganda machine.” “Their reporting lacks objectivity, relies on sensationalism, and suppresses any alternative viewpoints,” it is said in the report.