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From	"nath" <nath@samizdat.net>
Date	Tue, 18 Apr 2000 11:15:25 +0200
Subject	globe_l: Helsinki Committee For Human Rights in Serbia

Helsinki Committee For Human Rights in Serbia
 Zmaj Jovina 7/I,
11000 Beograd

tel: (+381 11) 637-542, 637-492, 637-914, 637-116
fax: 636-429
e-mail: biserkos@EUnet.yu
web: www.helsinki.org.yu
Kontakt: Sonja Biserko, predsednik


The Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia was established in September
 1994. It is a professional non-governmental organization aimed at promoting the rule
of law and protecting human rights, systematically monitoring human rights violations in
Serbia. The primary aim of the Helsinki Committee is to establish to what extent the state
complies with the regulations on human rights incorporated in the CSCE Final Act adopted
 in Helsinki in 1975. The Helsinki Committee is a member of The International Helsinki
Federation for Human Rights

Co-operation
The Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia co-operates with all national Helsinki
 Committees. Additionally, it has established co-operation with Lawyers Committee for
Human Rights in New York, Human Rights Watch/Helsinki in New York, UN Center for Human
 Rights in Geneva, OCSE institutions for human rights, Council of Europe Directorate for
Human Rights, Article XIX in London, International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia,
 UNHCR, International Red Cross, Amnesty International, International Human Rights Law Group in
Washington, Pax Christi International etc. The Helsinki Committee continuously keeps in touch
 with foreign diplomatic missions in Serbia. The Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia
is a full member of the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF), seated in Vienna,
 Austria. IHF has consultative status with the United Nations and the Council of Europe.

Activities
Activities of Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia can be divided in three different
 parts:

Realization of the projects connected with human rights topics;
Publishing reports about human rights issues in Serbia;
Publishing activity.

Projects
Return of refugees ñ in February 1998 started the realization of the project called "I want to go
home",
 with an idea to help refugees to return in their homes in Croatia. During that year, around 7500
refugees from Croatia passed through "I want to go home" office and 746 refugees returned to
 Croatia through direct mediation of Committee. In 1999, despite of NATO intervention, the
interest in returning rises up to 18600 people.
Considering the changes in Croatia after elections, as well as present situation in Serbia,
number of people who want to return in Croatia is constantly increasing. Therefore, in the
 future Committee plans to open new offices "I want to go home" in FRY, especially in the
 towns where exist Republic of Croatia consular sections.
Co-operation with the International War Crimes Tribunal ñ The Committee provides a Tribunal
with press coverage of Tribunalís work and other information helpful for Tribunalís purposes.
Legal aid to victims if human rights violations ñ Legal office of Helsinki Committee maintains
 legal advice and help to all victims of human rights violations; help is offered on different cases
 such as illegal mobilization, loss of citizenship, ethnic and religious discrimination, illegal
loss
 of jobs etc. The Committee also works on monitoring of legal systems of Serbia and FRY.
 It also works on proposals for new laws and makes analyses of already adopted laws.
Ethnic minorities ñ The Committee regularly monitor the respect of human rights of ethnic
 minorities in Serbia, and inform Serbian and international public about these issues through
reports. The Committee plans to organize round table on minorities in Serbia in near future
Campaign against anti-personal mines ñ In 1998 the Committee started with campaign
 against anti-personal mines. During 1999 the Committee organized two round tables
 (in Podgorica and Novi Sad) connected with this issue.
Confidence building measures between Serbs and Albanians ñ the project was launched
after Ulcinj meeting in 1997. The idea was to open a dialogue between two sides, which
would help long term solutions and decreasing tensions.

Helsinki Charter ñ A monthly magazine of Helsinki Committee, which covers all the issues
 the Committee, works on.

Reports
Helsinki Committee, according to its primary aims, works on human rights issues through
 statements, reports, organizing round tables, etc. These issues include individual human
rights, minority rights, discrimination on all levels, conscience objection, free expression,
 independence of judicial system etc. The Committee has so far produced reports on respect
 of rights of all national minorities in Serbia, refugee status in FRY, human rights violence
 in Serbia as well as reports on situation in media, University and legal system of Serbia
and Yugoslavia.

Publishing activity
Helsinki Committee for Human Right in Serbia publishes a monthly magazine
"Helsinki charter". Beside that, the Committee has also published several books.
 Some of them are: "Lex, whistles and lies" ñ Chronology of Civic and Student protest,
 1997; "Radicalization of the Serbian Society" - Collection of Documents, 1997; Round
Table "Serbo-Croatian Relations and the Problem of Refugees", 1997; "Serbian-Albanian
 Dialogue", 1997 - follow-up of the Ulcinj Conference on the Kosovo issue - collection of speeches,
"Self-determination from Autonomy to Secession", ed. Milenko Markovic, 1998;
 "Kosovo and International Community", 1998.






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