We condemn in the strongest possible terms today’s politically motivated 48-hour police detention of the leader of Serbian Democracy, Aleksandar Arsenijević, for a peaceful protest against Mayor Atiq. Arsenijević was charged with “harassment” based on Article 182 of the Kosovo Criminal Code.
This is absurd as Article 182 stipulates that these are acts aimed to intimidate and physically endanger a person. Arsenijević’s political activism and protests against public officials are not aimed at endangering anyone’s safety, as seen in all videos of his political activities.
This decision of Kosovo authorities is the most direct attack on freedom of speech and provisions related to the right to protest. It should be an alarm for the entire Kosovo society.
We demand his immediate release and urgent reactions from other international organizations to this decision.
Boban Simić
Dimitrije Obrenovic,
Dragiša Mijačić
Dušan Radaković
Ilda Krama
Jovana Radosavljević
Marko Milenković
Marko Trajković,
Miodrag Milićević
Milica Andrić Rakić
Milica Radovanović
Miodrag Marinković
Nataša Denović
Teodora Živanović
Tijana Grujić
Vladan Trifić
Žarko Krtinić
Zoran Savić
