|
The Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia
strongly condemns the Belgrade Higher Court’s decision to
rehabilitate Dragoljub Draža Mihailović, the commander of the
Tchetnik Movement. In the aftermath of the WWII Mihailović was
sentenced to death for crimes against civilians, high treason and
collaboration with fascist aggressors. Ignoring historical
developments and proven facts, and accepting the “argumentation” of
nationalistic ideologues instead, the Belgrade Higher Court made a
decision that can only be interpreted as politically motivated. The
trial to Draža Mihailović was open to public, international
observers and journalists from all over the world, was broadcast
live, while he himself was defended by top-notch Belgrade lawyers.
All subsequent historical researches confirmed all counts of the
indictment beyond doubt, let alone the documentation from the Third
Reich’s Archives once the latter was opened.
By rehabilitating the Tchetnik commander Serbia
has identified itself with the defeated forces in the WWII and,
having legitimized the Tchetnik policy of Genocide against non-Serbs
it actually denied anti-fascism. The court decision clearly
manifests Serbia’s attitude toward the wars and the war crimes of
the 1990s inspired by the Tchetnik ideology in the WWII. Last but
not least, by rehabilitating Mihailović Serbia put across a
clear-cut message to the region and democratic Europe that it
renounces its legacy of anti-fascism and will not give up the
unneighborly policy for the region and territorial aspirations.
|
