We invite you to a joint press conference of CSOs to be held on 20 December at 12.00 pm (noon) at the Press Center of the Journalists’ Association of Serbia (Knez Mihailova 6, Belgrade) regarding the published Draft Law on Internal Affairs and other accompanying laws.
The drafts of the aforementioned laws contain numerous provisions that have negative consequences for citizens’ privacy, inviolability of the home, protection of journalistic sources, freedom of association, prohibition of discrimination, but also protection of other rights and freedoms of citizens from excessive powers of police officers.
Civil society organizations are organizing this press conference to present a more detailed analysis of the published drafts and to encourage further discussion about possible changes to the law.
Speakers:
Bojan Elek, Belgrade Centre for Security Policy
Vladica Ilić, Belgrade Centre for Human Rights
Rade Đurić, Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia
Filip Milošević, Share Foundation
Moderator: Nina Nicović
At the conference, the undersigned organizations wish to draw attention to the shortcomings of the proposed solutions and point out the need for changes in order to ensure democratic control of police work and better protect the rights and freedoms of Serbian citizens. Since the aforementioned goals cannot be fully achieved by participating in a small number of round tables scheduled during the public debate, the undersigned organizations wish to acquaint the general public and the representatives of citizens in the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia with the disputed provisions of the published drafts, which primarily refer to biometric processing of personal data through mass biometric surveillance, expanding the powers of the police and the possibility of political influence on the work of the police.
We remind you that this is the second attempt to amend the law on internal affairs, and that the previous draft was withdrawn precisely because of numerous shortcomings pointed out by civil society organizations and the international public.
Civil society organizations:
SHARE Foundation
Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia
Partners Serbia
Belgrade Centre for Security Policy
Belgrade Centre for Human Rights
CEPRIS – Center for Judicial Research
YUCOM – Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights
Slavko Curuvija Foundation
