State Department: Discouraging decision by the Court of Appeal in Belgrade in the Ćuruvija case

(Patria) - The decision of the Court of Appeal in Belgrade to overturn the first-instance verdict and acquit the four accused of the murder of journalist Slavko Ćuruvija - Radomir Marković, Milan Radonjić, Ratko Romić and Miroslav Kurak is discouraging and represents a sad day for journalism in Serbia, the State Department assessed.

"It is discouraging to see that justice and accountability for the murderers of Slavko Ćuruvija remain elusive, even 25 years after his murder. A sad day for journalism," the State Department stated in a written response to Voice of America.

It adds that the State Department reaffirms its commitment to ending impunity for crimes against journalists and calls on the global community to unite in seeking accountability for those who direct and perpetrate violence, harass, and intimidate media workers.

The OSCE and several journalistic associations and organizations also criticized the decision of the Court of Appeal yesterday.

OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Teresa Ribeiro and Head of the OSCE Mission in Serbia Jan Bratu said they were "shocked" by the verdict of the Court of Appeal.

"The fact that this case remains unresolved 25 years after this brave journalist was murdered is extremely disturbing. Impunity for this grave crime is not only extremely painful for Ćuruvija's family and colleagues, but also deeply disappointing for the entire Serbian society. The true test of a society based on the rule of law is how it enables justice to be served, especially for those who take risks to uphold the values of free media," Ribeiro stated.

Following the announcement of the Court of Appeal's verdict, some opposition parties also reacted.

The Movement of Free Citizens (PSG) assessed that the decision of the Court of Appeal to acquit Radomir Marković, Milan Radonjić, Miroslav Kurak, and Ratko Romić in the proceedings for the murder of journalist Slavko Ćuruvija represents a new confirmation that, as stated, "the entire state apparatus and all branches of government are being used to defend Slobodan Milošević's regime".

PSG claims that the regime currently in power is no different from the regime of the nineties and that, as stated, "all journalist murders from that period remain unresolved indefinitely".

The Democratic Party (DS) has requested the state prosecutor's office to use all legal and other possibilities to challenge the legality and legitimacy of the Court of Appeal's decision by which the four accused of Ćuruvija's murder were acquitted.

"The decision of the Court of Appeal was expected because the entire procedure was conducted from the beginning in such a way that the defendants would be acquitted, which became increasingly evident as time went on, but neither the prosecution nor the public should reconcile themselves with the acquittal," the DS believes.

The DS emphasizes that from the first day, they have had no doubt that Ćuruvija was murdered on the orders of the top authorities at the time, and that the organizers and perpetrators were in prominent positions in the security structures at the time.

The DS states that all subsequently collected evidence confirmed this and adds that the masterminds, organizers, and perpetrators of Ćuruvija's murder will have to be brought to justice by the next democratic government.