29 Aug The Three Freedoms Platform: Anything but providing security guarantees for “EuroPride 2022” is a defeat for the state
Belgrade, 29 August 2022
The Three Freedoms Platform calls on the competent institutions to clearly and unequivocally, guarantee the safe holding of “EuroPride 2022”, scheduled for September 2022. The public messages of the President of the Republic and the prime minister-designate about the impossibility of holding this gathering for security reasons, do not represent a “decision of the state”, but illegal pressure on the competent institution (Ministry of Internal Affairs) to ban the scheduled gathering, which creates a devastating impression that the state is unable to provide not even the physical safety of its citizens.
Regardless of whether the announcement of the President of the Republic, that this manifestation will be “postponed or canceled” or the statement of the prime minister-designate, that it was only a “request to the organizers”, is taken as authoritative, the manipulation of this issue by placing it in the context of endangering state security and energy crisis, undermines basic human rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution and confirmed international treaties, including the right of citizens to freedom of peaceful assembly.
We remind that human rights and freedoms can be limited only for the reasons prescribed by the Constitution, in the procedure prescribed by law, for which in this case neither the President of the Republic nor the prime minister-designate have any authority. Any statement by state officials discouraging the organization of public gatherings constitutes an unjustified encroachment on this freedom.
Regardless of whether the competent state authority will pass a decision on the banning of “EuroPride 2022”, the damage has already been caused by creating the impression among citizens that their human rights do not depend on clearly prescribed and predictable procedures and laws, but on the unpredictable and changing will of incompetent state officials. The Three Freedoms Platform calls for solidarity with all citizens from the LGBT+ community in the fight for the equal enjoyment of basic human rights and freedoms.
Signed by:
Civic initiatives
Helsinki Committee for Human Rights
Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights – YUCOM
Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia
Belgrade Center for Human Rights
Trag Foundation
Youth Initiative for Human Rights
New Optimism
A11 – Initiative for Economic and Social Rights
Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation
Policy Center
CRTA
Catalyst Balkans
Belgrade Center for Security Policy
Center for Cultural Decontamination
Transparency Serbia
Autonomous Women’s Center
Partners Serbia