DS leader warns about persecution of political opponents

BELGRADE - Bojan Pajtic, the leader of the opposition Democratic Party (DS), called on ambassadors in Serbia, international organizations, organizations for the protection of human rights and sister organizations of the DS to point out that human rights are being violated and political opponents are being persecuted in Serbia under the veil of the fight against corruption.

"We are faced with the government which obviously tends to suffocate any critical thinking and it is our task and our
obligation to fight against such policy," Pajtic said in a letter.

Pajtic underlined that "this is not a problem of the DS, but everyone in Serbia today who thinks differently and who dares to publicly express their opinion", adding that he is not requesting assistance in the political struggle, but rather in defense of the rule of law, legal state, stability of institutions and democracy in Serbia.

The letter notes that in the last two years, more than 70 members of the DS have been detained, after this was announced in the media for months in advance, while afterwards indictments were raised only in few cases, while in more than a dozen cases, the charges were dropped, though all of these people were held guilty in advance in the pro-government tabloids.

Pajtic also underscored that the Supreme Court of Cassation has released a statement warning that public officials are exerting pressure on judges and that this constitutes political interference in the judicial power

Moreover, this year's report by the European Commission points out in several places to the violation of the presumption of innocence and organized campaigns which, in cooperation with the police, are being conducted against individuals in the tabloids,...