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U.S. Department of State Office of the Spokesman Press Statement

Press Statement by James P. Rubin, Spokesman
January 5, 1999

State Department Condemns Beating of Student Leader

On December 29, Boris Karajcic, a 24-year-old leader of the Serbian student movement OTPOR, was badly beaten in front of his home, allegedly by street thugs. Mr. Karajcic testified in the United States before the Helsinki Commission in early December and to numerous other groups about the Milosevic regime's attempts to control universities in Serbia. These two events are clearly related.

This beating was clearly intended to intimidate the student movement in Serbia, and is part of a larger assault on Serbian civil society. Disturbing affronts to freedom and justice abound. The Belgrade government bans rebroadcasting of foreign programs, and denies visas to the international press. Under a draconian University Act, passed last May, the regime has ousted scores of university professors from their jobs, forced others to sign loyalty oaths, sacked faculty deans, and replaced them with hand-picked government loyalists. The regime has denied international investigators access to Kosovo, although all acknowledge that significant atrocities have been committed against Serbs.

Taken together, these startling actions represent a gravely underpublicized assault on human rights. The media and university laws violate not only international human rights standards, but also Serbia’s own constitution. Ironically, these policies are also utterly counterproductive. Repressing journalists and beating students accomplishes nothing other than suppressing speech. The university clampdown poisons the atmosphere in which Serbia’s own future leaders will be educated. Barring international investigators and instigating phony military tribunal proceedings deny justice even to families of Serbian victims.

For all citizens of Serbia and Montenegro, respect for democratic values and human rights represents their only path back to Europe. Belgrade's desperate campaign of intimidation must stop. Citizens of Serbia and Montenegro cannot know real freedom until they enjoy the same liberties as their European neighbors.

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