Dear friends,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We would like to inform you that we have successfully concluded the proceedings held before the Misdemeanor Court regarding the civil action of cleaning and painting the park at Miti\u0107eva Rupa on February 18, 2023, when activists and citizens painted over the graffiti that read, “When the army returns to Kosovo\u2026”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From this, we can conclude that we were right in our decision not to silently accept guilt and to oppose the persecution by state authorities that have taken on the role of protectors of those who promote violence and apply it in public spaces, retaliating against those who legitimately exercise their constitutionally and legally guaranteed rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Among other things, we succeeded in changing judicial practice, so today our position is accepted that it is not a violation and does not damage the appearance of a building “if a graffiti written on a white wall is painted over with white paint.” This may seem absurd, but it took us a lot of effort to convince the presiding judges and eventually the entire first-instance and Appellate Court that they were misinterpreting the regulations. We have set a precedent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The fact that we convinced the court is clearly demonstrated by several first-instance and second-instance decisions in our favor, as well as the fact that in other cases, judges allowed the statute of limitations to apply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These rulings further confirm that the misdemeanor charges against citizens who refuse to accept warmongering messages as normal, are an abuse of institutions for political purposes. It also proves that activism should not be abandoned for fear of institutional repression, but should be fought for using all available legal means.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We remind you that the KROKODIL Association, together with the Youth Initiative for Human Rights, organized a registered civic action to clean the area in the park at Miti\u0107eva Rupa in Belgrade\u2019s Slavija Square, including painting over the wall that featured the graffiti, “When the army returns to Kosovo.” However, by the next morning, new graffiti appeared along with a large number of threats that activists and citizens received via social media in the following days. In addition to the threats, the activists received numerous misdemeanor charges when a significant number of them decided not to pay these fines but rather defend their innocence in court. The gathering was secured by police, while a representative from the Communal police tried in every possible way to prevent the action in their presence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We owe a great debt of gratitude to our attorney Milo\u0161 Jankovi\u0107, who actively carried out a series of advocacy campaigns during the two-year processes to highlight all aspects of the illegal persecution of activists, the consequences, and the value of democratic struggle through institutions and legal mechanisms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
LIST OF TEN UNSUCCESSFUL PERSECUTIONS OF KROKODIL ACTIVISTS
SUCCESSFULLY CONCLUDED PROCEEDINGS, THE COURT DID NOT ISSUE CONVICTING JUDGMENTS:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Postupci sudskog odlu\u010divanja po prekr\u0161ajnim nalozima Komunalne milicije:<\/strong>
prekr\u0161aj iz \u010dl.64g st.1 Odluke o komunalnom redu<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n