PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC UNDER THREAT OF TOTAL ISOLATION
Dear friends,
The Hague tribunal has just issued an order to ban all the visits to President
Milosevic from SPS and SLOBODA/Freedom Association!
Their "explanation" is that it was done because the members
of the SPS delegation gave statements to media after their recent visit.
The Tribunal's decision was issued just after the application of Mr. Bogoljub
Bjelica, Chairman of SLOBODA to visit President Milosevic.
We responded to the tribunal letter immediately. You can read our respond
and our original application bellow and the tribunal's outrageous letter
addressed to President Milosevic in the attachment.
After he has been deprived of family visits, President Milosevic is now
cut from the visits of his closest associates, who also work on preparations
of his struggle for truth.
The strongest legal and public reaction is urgently needed.
It is perhaps also time to attack the fact that President Milosevic is
prohibited to talk to media when, at the same time both tribunal and its
prosecution have several spokespersons who talk to media all the time!
The criminal political mechanisms of the Hague machinery, which in the
panic of total defeat try to destroy the victor, should be totally exposed
and stopped.
Vladimir Krsljanin
General Secretary of SLOBODA
Coordinator of ICDSM
Foreign Relations Assistant to President Milosevic
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. Hans Holthuis
Registrar
ICTY
The Hague
The Netherlands
U R G E N T
Re: Your unjustified decision of August 12 and our application for a visit
of August 11, 2003
Dear Mr. Holthuis,
In your letter to President Milosevic, dated August 12, the copy of which
we have received by fax on ...
...snip...
... of his closest associates. Except it is outrageous, your decision
is totally legally unsustainable. Here are the reasons:
1. It is not true that your rules prohibit that any information about
the visit can be disclosed to the media. Rule 63(B ...
...snip...
... the discretion right given to you should have only meaning to prevent
influence of media on the processes before the ICTY.
2. Nobody in Serbia is aware that any of the members of SPS delegation
gave any public statement that can influence the process.
3. You are very well aware that listing the Freedom Association among
the "associated entities" with SPS has absolutely ...
...snip...
... Following the same logic of who is "associated" with whom
you can also ban visits of all Serbs and finally of all human beings.
So, after he has been in many respects deprived in comparison with other
detainees when the visits are concerned (he ...
...snip...
... organization which protects his human rights and from his closest
associates, which also seriously affects his right to defense.
We expect you to change your wrong decision immediately. Otherwise, we
will be forced to take other legal and public measures in order to protect
law and justice.
Belgrade, August 19th, 2003
On behalf of Freedom Association
Igor Raicevic, Chairman of the Assembly
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ms. Monica Martinez
Chief of OLAD
Registry, ICTY
The Hague
The Netherlands
U R G E N T
Subject: Application for a visit of Mr. Bjelica to President Milosevic
Dear Ms. Martinez,
We apply hereby for a visit of the Chairman of the "Freedom"
Association Mr. Bogoljub Bjelica to President ...
...snip...
... appreciate very much if you could agree the exact date for the visit
in direct communication with President Milosevic.
Since several months have passed since our last visit, we are sure that
there will be no difficulties in approving this visit. Our legal interest
and our commitments remain as before.
For your reply or any further information our contacts remain: phone +381
63 8862 301 or fax +381 11 630 549.
Belgrade, August 11th, 2003
Appreciating your cooperation, I remain
Yours sincerely
Igor Raicevic
Chairman of the Assembly of "Freedom" Association
FoNet
August 20, 2003
Sloba supporters banned from visiting The Hague
BELGRADE -- Wednesday -- The Hague Tribunal is
reported to have banned members of the Socialist Party
of Serbia and the Sloboda (Freedom) Movement from
visiting Slobodan Milosevic, according to Sloboda
Association member Vladimir Krsljanin.
Speaking at a press conference on the occasion of the
former Yugoslav and Serbian President's birthday,
Krsljanin produced a letter from the international
tribunal's administration addressed to Milosevic,
which states that the ban, to be implemented until
further notice, is a result of a media statement given
in breach of court regulations.
The statement was made by Socialist Party delegation
members Milorad Vucelic and Zoran Andjelkovic during
their last visit to the Scheveningen detention centre,
where Milosevic is being held. They gave the statement
to press despite being forewarned that such a move was
against tribunal rules.
Krsljanin protested: "This is hideous manipulation and
an injustice because it is not in line with the rules
of the tribunal".
He stressed that a "legal battle" for the decision to
be overturned would ensue.
The press conference was followed by the holding of a
"Free Serbia" debate and the screening of a
documentary entitled "Defeated Hague", which were to
mark Milosevic's birthday.