Repression on the initiators of the citizens' protests
in Valjevo and Leskovac

Citizens Resistance Valjevo sent the letter on behalf of the citizens of Valjevo and the Arsenijevic family to the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Pavle, to inform him about the brutal arrest of Bogoljub Arsenijevic - Maki, artist and the founder of the Resistance and initiator of protest rallies in Valjevo. In the letter Patriarch was asked to visit Mr. Arsenijevic in the Hospital of the City Jail in Belgrade. He was transferred in the hospital after he was beaten during arresting. In her statement for Radio B2-92, Slobodanka Nikolic, from Human Rights Center of Democratic Party, said that neither the family nor lawyers of Bogoljub Arsenijevic could find official information about him.

Public prosecutor of the city of Leskovac pressed charges against the initiator of the protest rallies in that city, the technician of Leskovac TV, Ivan Novkovic, for "violation of the official position". Novkovic was indicted because "on July 1, he broadcast his statement, in which he offended the honor and reputation of the local official." Novkovic already served one-month in prison, because he invited the Lekovac residents to the gathering, which was not approved. In the statement for the Radio B2-92, Novkovic said that "he isn't guilty as charged and expects that charges will be rejected." If charged, Novkovic could face up to three years in prison.

Source: Free Serbia

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