The undersigned media and civil organizations demand from the Serbian Ministry of Finance and Directorate for thew Prevention of Money Laundering that they immediately publish the “well-founded suspicion” based on which they ordered commercial banks to render an extraordinary report on certain organizations, media, and individuals.
The legal paragraph, which the leader of the Directorate has referred to, states that such extraordinary data collection may exclusively be ordered only in case of organizations suspected to be involved in financing terrorism. Since the list contains several organizations and individuals whose work is investigating journalism, legal protection, film-making, development of democracy, the rule of law, and philanthropy, one cannot avoid the conclusion that the two state organs committed abuse of power, a dangerous attempt to destroy the rule of law in Serbia.
The abuse of legal mechanisms and institutions, aiming at exerting illegal pressure on media organizations and civil organizations represent a harsh attack on the right of assembly and free information. Over the past several years, Serbian powerholders have been exposed to strong criticism by international and domestic organizations in those two areas. Hence, such an attack on organizations fighting for the construction of the rule of law, for the adherence to the legal system, and for a true anti-corruption effort, represents yet another proof that these values are imperiled in Serbia. The organizations, the media, and the individuals under attack will not relent, and will continue their fight for a free and democratic state, despite the threats and pressure. This, and similar steps of the government only further motivate us, free citizens, to persist in the protection of our own state.
The undersigned media and civil organizations will use all legal means at their disposal, including criminal prosecution of those responsible for this abuse. But first, we demand full and clear response to the questions: How did we get to this point? How was this list compiled? We remind the public that the media and civil organizations included in the list are continuously subjects to state control, including financial audits by the tax authorities, the National Bank of Serbia, and by their supporters. We welcome all means of legal control, and we support those. At the same time, we firmly resist the abuse of institutions and processes since this is exactly our mission: the struggle for a democratic state under the rule of law.
Belgrade, July 28, 2020
[See the original and the list of signatories here: www.gradjanske.org/civilno-drustvo-i-mediji-nece-odustati-od-borbe-za-demokratsku-i-slobodnu-srbiju]
The Press Freedom Foundation has joined the release of this statement as the only ethnic-minority media organization targeted by authorities.
