Constitutional Court mulls ban on extreme group

The Serbian Republic (State) Prosecution today presented its arguments in favor of banning the SNP 1389 organization to the Constitutional Court. The prosecution said the group should be outlawed because of its "constant activity aimed at the violent destruction of the constitutional order". Constitutional Court mulls ban on extreme group The ban is also being requested on the basis that the group has been "violating the constitutionally guaranteed rights and causing of national, religious, racial and sexual hatred and discrimination". The prosecution's case is targeting SNP 1389, represented by Misa Vacic - which is a registered organization -as well as unregistered groups SNP Nasi and SNP Nasi 1389. Deputy Prosecutor Gordana Janicijevic told the judges today that the organization "often changed its name in order to avoid being banned". Their goals, presented on their website, suggest that they support the use of violence, because their goal of "liberating and uniting all Serb lands" endangered the territorial integrity of Serbia's neighbors, she said. Janicijevic also mentioned that they spread hatred toward Bosniaks and glorified persons responsible for the most grave crimes when they "congratulated July 11, Srebrenica Liberation Day", and that by using expressions such as "we will not allow", and "we will do anything" against the holding of a gay parade in Belgrade, the group "implied violence". SNP 1389 activists and Obraz leader Mladen Obradovic attended the hearing today, and used the opportunity to distribute campaign material supporting Misa Vacic - who they said topped the SNP 1389 list in the forthcoming local elections in Belgrade. Citizens' Ombudsman Sasa Jankovic was also at the Constitutional court on Tuesday, to say that outlawing the group would mean that Serbia's democracy, institutions and society were not strong enough to resist challenges that can be brought on by the activities of this type of organization. A ban may be necessary, he noted, but it cannot be a sufficient measure in order to solve the problems that stem from the activities of such organizations, and in order to "rid the society of hatred and intolerance". "A tough decision lies ahead of the Constitutional Court - although one would not have guessed it from what both the prosecution and SNP 1389 had to say," the ombudsman noted. He criticized the prosecution for approaching its case "as if it had to prove place, time and manner in which a crime was committed", and asserted that the hearing was in fact about "limiting the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of association, and banning the organization". A ban could help if other institutions are ready to work on the reasons that give rise to movements such as SNP 1389 - "and if they don't, a ban could come back to haunt us all", concluded Jankovic. The Constitutional Court is in session on Tuesday in Belgrade (Beta) Beta

Constitutional Court mulls ban on extreme group

The ban is also being requested on the basis that the group has been "violating the constitutionally guaranteed rights and causing of national, religious, racial and sexual hatred and discrimination".

The prosecution's case is targeting SNP 1389, represented by Miša Vacić - which is a registered organization -as well as unregistered groups SNP Naši and SNP Naši 1389.

Deputy Prosecutor Gordana Janićijević told the judges today that the organization "often changed its name in order to avoid being banned".

Their goals, presented on their website, suggest that they support the use of violence, because their goal of "liberating and uniting all Serb lands" endangered the territorial integrity of Serbia's neighbors, she said.

Janićijević also mentioned that they spread hatred toward Bosniaks and glorified persons responsible for the most grave crimes when they "congratulated July 11, Srebrenica Liberation Day", and that by using expressions such as "we will not allow", and "we will do anything" against the holding of a gay parade in Belgrade, the group "implied violence".

SNP 1389 activists and Obraz leader Mladen Obradović attended the hearing today, and used the opportunity to distribute campaign material supporting Miša Vacić - who they said topped the SNP 1389 list in the forthcoming local elections in Belgrade.

Citizens' Ombudsman Saša Janković was also at the Constitutional court on Tuesday, to say that outlawing the group would mean that Serbia's democracy, institutions and society were not strong enough to resist challenges that can be brought on by the activities of this type of organization.

A ban may be necessary, he noted, but it cannot be a sufficient measure in order to solve the problems that stem from the activities of such organizations, and in order to "rid the society of hatred and intolerance".

"A tough decision lies ahead of the Constitutional Court - although one would not have guessed it from what both the prosecution and SNP 1389 had to say," the ombudsman noted.

He criticized the prosecution for approaching its case "as if it had to prove place, time and manner in which a crime was committed", and asserted that the hearing was in fact about "limiting the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of association, and banning the organization".

A ban could help if other institutions are ready to work on the reasons that give rise to movements such as SNP 1389 - "and if they don't, a ban could come back to haunt us all", concluded Janković.