Human Rights Action (HRA) strongly condemns the graffiti reading “Hang Serbs from the willow trees”, which was written in the Pruška neighbourhood of Bijelo Polje.

Messages of this kind constitute hate speech and intimidation directed against members of a national community. The courts have previously classified this slogan as the criminal offence of inciting national, racial and religious hatred under Article 370 of the Criminal Code, punishable by imprisonment for a term ranging from six months to five years.

We call on the police and the State Prosecutor’s Office to urgently and thoroughly investigate all the circumstances of this case and identify those responsible for writing this offensive graffiti.

Every piece of graffiti that incites national or religious hatred — regardless of the community against which it is directed — must be investigated and sanctioned with equal diligence.

We recall that, almost six years after the organised appearance of graffiti and other incidents targeting Muslims and the Islamic Community in Pljevlja, the public still has no answer as to who organised those events. Proceedings against the individuals previously suspected ended in acquittals due to a lack of evidence, while the State Prosecutor’s Office has not informed the public whether, in light of the allegations contained in Sky ECC communications, it has undertaken any new measures to identify those responsible.

We expect this case not to be left without an institutional response and that the public will be promptly informed of all actions taken.