Series Reports 5 Publishing of the book was supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany (Stability Pact Fund) HUMAN RIGHTS IN YUGOSLAVIA 2001 LEGAL PROVISIONS, PRACTICE AND LEGAL CONSCIOUSNESS IN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA COMPARED TO INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS STANDARDS Belgrade Centre for Human Rights Belgrade, 2002 Series Reports HUMAN RIGHTS IN YUGOSLAVIA 2001 LEGAL PROVISIONS, PRACTICE AND LEGAL CONSCIOUSNESS IN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA COMPARED TO INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS STANDARDS Editor Vojin Dimitrijević Publisher The Belgrade Centre for Human Rights Mlatišumina 26, Belgrade, FRY (http://www.bgcentar.org.yu) For the publisher Tatjana Papić Proof-reading Jasna Alibegović Cover photograph Milan Aleksić Layout Mirko Milićević ISBN 86-7202-050-2 Printed by Dosije, Belgrade Contents Abbreviations ................................................................................................... 15 Preface .............................................................................................................. 19 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 21 I LEGAL PROVISIONS RELATED TO HUMAN RIGHTS ......................... 27 1. Human Rights in the Legal System of the FR Yugoslavia ........................... 27 1.1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 27 1.2. Constitutional Provisions on Human Rights ............................................. 28 1.3. International Human Rights and FR Yugoslavia ...................................... 29 1.4. Amnesty and Pardon for Criminal Offenses in Connection with the Wars in Former Yugoslavia ............................................... 31 2. Right to Effective Remedy for Human Rights Violations............................ 32 2.1. Ordinary Legal Remedies .......................................................................... 33 2.2. Constitutional Appeal ................................................................................ 34 3. Restrictions and Derogation ......................................................................... 37 3.1. General and Optional Restrictions ............................................................ 38 3.1.1. General Restrictions ............................................................................... 38 3.1.2. Optional Restrictions .............................................................................. 39 3.2. Derogation in a “Time of Public Emergency” .......................................... 40 3.2.1. General ................................................................................................... 40 3.2.2. Derogation During a State of War .......................................................... 40 3.2.3. State of Emergency................................................................................. 43 4. INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS ............................................................................... 44 4.1. Prohibition of Discrimination .................................................................... 44 4.1.1. General ................................................................................................... 45 4.1.2. Examples of discrimination in Yugoslav legislation .............................. 48 4.1.2.1. Real property ....................................................................................... 48 4.1.2.2. Some criminal offences against dignity and morals ............................ 49 4.1.2.3. Refugees and citizenship ..................................................................... 50 4.2. Right to Life .............................................................................................. 51 4.2.1. General ................................................................................................... 52 4.2.2. Criminal Law .......................................................................................... 55 4.2.3. Abortion .................................................................................................. 56 4.2.4. Capital Punishment ................................................................................. 57 4.2.5. Use of Force by Government Agencies.................................................. 58 4.3. Prohibition of Torture, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment 60 4.3.1. General ................................................................................................... 60 4.3.2. Criminal law ........................................................................................... 62 4.3.3. Criminal Proceedings and Execution of Criminal Sanctions ................. 65 4.3.4. Use of Force by Police ........................................................................... 66 4.4. Prohibition of Slavery and Modern Forms of Slavery .............................. 67 4.4.1. General ................................................................................................... 67 4.4.2. Modern forms of slavery ........................................................................ 68 4.4.3. Defects in National Legislation .............................................................. 69 4.5. Liberty and Security of the Person; Treatment of Prisoners ..................... 71 4.5.1. Right to Liberty and Security of Person ................................................. 72 4.5.1.1. Prohibition of arbitrary arrest and detention ....................................... 73 4.5.1.2. Right to be informed of reasons for arrest and charges ....................... 75 4.5.1.3. Right to be brought promptly before a judge and to trial within a reasonable time or to release .................................................................. 76 4.5.1.4. Right to appeal to court against deprivation of liberty ........................ 78 4.5.1.5. Right to compensation for unlawful deprivation of liberty ................. 79 4.5.2. Treatment of Persons Deprived of Their Liberty ................................... 80 4.5.2.1. Humane treatment and respect for dignity .......................................... 80 4.5.2.2. Segregation of accused and convicted persons, juveniles and adults . 83 4.5.2.3. Correctional/penitentiary system ......................................................... 83 4.6. Right to a Fair Trial ................................................................................... 84 4.6.1. Independence and Impartiality of Courts ............................................... 87 4.6.2. Fair and Public Trial ............................................................................... 90 4.6.2.1. Fairness ................................................................................................ 90 4.6.2.2. Public trial and sentencing .................................................................. 93 4.6.3.Guarantees to Defendants in Criminal Cases .......................................... 94 4.6.3.1. Presumption of innocence ................................................................... 94 4.6.3.2. Prompt notification of charges, in a language understood by defendant ...................................................................... 95 4.6.3.3. Adequate time and facilities for preparation of defence; right to communicate with counsel ..................................................................... 95 4.6.3.4. Right to trial without undue delay ....................................................... 96 4.6.3.5. Prohibition of trial ............................................................................... 97 4.6.3.6. Right to call and examine witnesses .................................................... 98 4.6.3.7. Right to an interpreter .......................................................................... 99 4.6.3.8. Prohibition of self-incrimination ......................................................... 99 4.6.3.9. Special treatment of juveniles ............................................................. 100 4.6.3.10. Right of appeal .................................................................................. 100 4.6.3.11. Right to compensation ....................................................................... 101 4.6.3.12. Ne bis in idem .................................................................................... 101 4.7. Protection of Privacy, Family, Home and Correspondence ...................... 102 4.7.1. Privacy .................................................................................................... 102 4.7.1.1. Access to personal data ....................................................................... 102 4.7.1.2. Sexual preference ................................................................................ 104 4.7.1.3. Protection of privacy by criminal law ................................................. 104 4.7.2. The home ................................................................................................ 106 4.7.3. Correspondence ...................................................................................... 107 4.7.4. Honour and Reputation .......................................................................... 109 4.7.5. Family and Domestic Relations ............................................................. 109 4.8. Freedom of Thought, Conscience and Religion ........................................ 111 4.9. Freedom of Expression .............................................................................