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The Helsinki Committee for Human Rights warns that
the aggressive behaviour of ultra-right hooligans at at sport events
targeting Bosniaks poses security threat to Serbia’s society as a
whole, and calls for an immediate reaction from competent
institutions. One of the measures that sports clubs could introduce
is to prohibit banners and slogans that glorify war criminals and
incite intolerance and chauvinism.
The latest example is the handball match between
Novi Pazar and Red Star in Belgrade. Large banners promising an
eternal fight against “Turkified people” (who are treated as
traitors of the “Serbian race”) were accompanied by chants
glorifying war criminal Ratko Mladić, who was convicted of war
crimes against Bosniaks, including genocide.
Introducing strict anti-chauvinist measures at
sporting events is necessary for several reasons. We emphasize that
this chauvinist behaviour at sport events is a direct consequence of
the glorification of war criminals in society, causing citizens to
feel unsafe and instilling fear in vulnerable communities. They also
send the message that crimes can be repeated without consequence.
The chanting of Ratko Mladić's name and incidents related to that
have been repeated at practically all sport evenets since the
International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals upheld all
convictions against Mladić.
Hooligan groups in Serbia have close ties with the
ideologues of Greater Serbian nationalism and act as their extended
arm. In addition, these groups have their own structure, hierarchy
and leaders, and are often linked to acts of organized crime and
violence. These hooligan groups are directly violating the physical
and moral integrity of groups they consider to be the enemy. Recent
scandals have shown that these groups are closely linked to
organised crime, as well as to the state structures.
Bosniak community has appealed several times to
the Government of Serbia to react to the chauvinistic behaviour of
Serbian hooligans. However, we remind that the authorities have not
taken any measures so far.
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