Weapons uncovered at house of 1389 member

The police have found illegal weapons at the flat of Misa Vacic, a spokesman for the 1389 Movement, B92 understands. The public prosecution has filed a motion calling for a ban of the ultra right-wing organizations, Obraz and 1389. Weapons uncovered at house of 1389 member B92 understands that the police searched Vacic’s flat today and discovered an illegal firearm, catapults and large number of balaclavas. Vacic was one of the 35 suspects arrested on Sunday after members of Obraz and 1389 held a meeting in central Belgrade, in defiance of a police ban. He was remanded in custody for 30 days. Public Prosecutor Slobodan Radovanovic submitted the motion for a ban today. Prosecution spokesman Tomo Zoric said that the motion had been sent in response to the organizations’ activities, which had been in gross breach of Constitutional order, guaranteed minority and human rights, and had sought to incite racial, ethnic and religious hatred and intolerance. Zoric said that the motion was based on the fact that, in spite of proclaimed tolerance in society, statements and activities by members of Obraz and 1389 were in systematic and consistent violation of human freedoms. “The public prosecution, discharging its basic function of criminal prosecution, particularly in addressing criminal acts counter to the Constitution and security and other sanctionable acts motivated by hatred… identified Obraz and 1389 as the instigators of numerous incidents in which their members, adhering to the basic tenets of those organizations, breached Constitutionally-guaranteed human rights,” he explained. The spokesman added that the organizations’ documents contained material that ran counter to the Constitution, and the principles of civilian democracy and values. “The Constitutional Court’s decision in this case will be a clear message that unconstitutional and illegal acts by these organizations will not be tolerated in society,” said Zoric. The motion in question is in line with EU standards, he added. Slobodan Radovanovic (FoNet, archive) "Obraz, 1389 first in firing line" Radovanovic told B92 that those two groups had been identified as the ones that needed to be outlawed immediately. “We’ve worked hard in recent days and I must praise MUP’s cooperation for helping collect all the available proof, which we have included in the initiative to the Constitutional Court to ban these two organizations. Our work goes on,” he said. The prosecutor explained that his office had taken the step because Obraz and 1389 advocated xenophobia, homophobia and the expulsion of all those of a different faith, ethnicity and religion. He said that the prosecution would also be looking into who stood behind these organizations, adding that football hooligan groups would also come under the microscope. “For all organizations found to be extremist and ultra right-wing, which jeopardize citizens’ rights guaranteed by the Constitution and international conventions, we’ll seek their prohibition,” said Radovanovic. Regarding Miladin Kovacevic, who is under investigation for assaulting a fellow student last year while on a student exchange in New York State, the prosecutor said that an investigation could begin now that documentation had arrived from the U.S. on the case. The U.S. prosecutor formally submitted the case to the Serbian judiciary in early April after reaching an agreement with the Serbian government, which paid the victim’s family USD 900,00 to cover medical costs. Kovacevic is accused of inflicting grievous bodily harm on Bryan Steinhauer during a bar brawl.

Weapons uncovered at house of 1389 member

B92 understands that the police searched Vačić’s flat today and discovered an illegal firearm, catapults and large number of balaclavas. Vačić was one of the 35 suspects arrested on Sunday after members of Obraz and 1389 held a meeting in central Belgrade, in defiance of a police ban. He was remanded in custody for 30 days.

Public Prosecutor Slobodan Radovanović submitted the motion for a ban today.

Prosecution spokesman Tomo Zorić said that the motion had been sent in response to the organizations’ activities, which had been in gross breach of Constitutional order, guaranteed minority and human rights, and had sought to incite racial, ethnic and religious hatred and intolerance.

Zorić said that the motion was based on the fact that, in spite of proclaimed tolerance in society, statements and activities by members of Obraz and 1389 were in systematic and consistent violation of human freedoms.

“The public prosecution, discharging its basic function of criminal prosecution, particularly in addressing criminal acts counter to the Constitution and security and other sanctionable acts motivated by hatred… identified Obraz and 1389 as the instigators of numerous incidents in which their members, adhering to the basic tenets of those organizations, breached Constitutionally-guaranteed human rights,” he explained.

The spokesman added that the organizations’ documents contained material that ran counter to the Constitution, and the principles of civilian democracy and values.

“The Constitutional Court’s decision in this case will be a clear message that unconstitutional and illegal acts by these organizations will not be tolerated in society,” said Zorić.

The motion in question is in line with EU standards, he added.

"Obraz, 1389 first in firing line"

Radovanović told B92 that those two groups had been identified as the ones that needed to be outlawed immediately.

“We’ve worked hard in recent days and I must praise MUP’s cooperation for helping collect all the available proof, which we have included in the initiative to the Constitutional Court to ban these two organizations. Our work goes on,” he said.

The prosecutor explained that his office had taken the step because Obraz and 1389 advocated xenophobia, homophobia and the expulsion of all those of a different faith, ethnicity and religion.

He said that the prosecution would also be looking into who stood behind these organizations, adding that football hooligan groups would also come under the microscope.

“For all organizations found to be extremist and ultra right-wing, which jeopardize citizens’ rights guaranteed by the Constitution and international conventions, we’ll seek their prohibition,” said Radovanović.

Regarding Miladin Kovačević, who is under investigation for assaulting a fellow student last year while on a student exchange in New York State, the prosecutor said that an investigation could begin now that documentation had arrived from the U.S. on the case.

The U.S. prosecutor formally submitted the case to the Serbian judiciary in early April after reaching an agreement with the Serbian government, which paid the victim’s family USD 900,00 to cover medical costs.

Kovačević is accused of inflicting grievous bodily harm on Bryan Steinhauer during a bar brawl.