Belgrade, 08.08.2021.

G46: Public Announcement 

This Was Not  An Obstruction Of A Book Promotion,
But An Attack On Freedom

As an FSD group dedicated to public advocacy for the freedom of thought and expression of all citizens of Serbia Group 46 condemns and expresses its concern at the negligence displayed by public officials and state authorities when faced with the assailants from the rightwing political organization „Oathkeepers“ (Zavetnici) who crashed the promotion of a book by Svetislav Basara at the „Marble and sounds“ art festival in Arandjelovac.

Group 46 finds such negligence and the nearly one-day delay in informing the public of this act of barbarism absolutely unacceptable and dangerous.

Group 46 warns that what happened in Arandjelovac is not a mere attack on an individual or manifestation, but an attack on the entire system in which the concepts of freedom of expression and independent media are even feasible.

Group 46 wishes to emphasize how the event in Arandjelovac, regrettably, represents just one of many proofs that political rights in Serbia aren‘t worth the paper they are written on if a „higher authority“ or any self-appointed chauvinistic mobb deems that exercising them brings into question the „Serbian consensus“ on the recent past or that so-called Serbian World project that wishes to carry over the direst elements of that past into the future.

Group 46 especially underlines that the public reaction to this incident, from the media, in particular, was too mild and too slow.

Group 46 expects the media and journalists to especially show much greater interest in actions that jeopardize freedom of expression – which is especially important for their vocation.

Group 46 expects that the Ministry of Culture, the organizers of the „Marble and Sounds“ review, and the city of Arandjelovac will state their positions regarding this incident.

Finally, Group 46 once again warns of the behavior and responsibility of politicians, especially those in public office, who believe that by publicly promoting or actively supporting radical right-wing political organizations, often even outright fascist ideologies, somehow advance Serbia‘s path toward Europe.

This G46 Statement until 10 a.m. Sunday was signed by

Luka Jovanović, attorney at low & G46 coordinator  
Sonja Biserko, Helsinki Connitee for Human Rights in Serbia
Aleksandar Olenik, attorney at low
Milan Jovanović, FSD Forum for Security and Democracy
Vidosav Stevanović, writer
Marija Vasiljevic, actrees 
Dinko Gruhonjić, journalist and profesor 
Ratko Božović, sociologist and  profesor
Vesna Mališić, journalist
Aida Ćorović,  OCS activist 
Jelena Djordjević, profesor at FPS

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