NGOs and activists on the interruption of the film screening: Silence sends a message that violence and hate speech can be tolerated

Non-governmental organizations and civic activists have called on the State Prosecutor's Office and the Police Directorate to immediately inform the public about the progress of the investigation into the violent interruption of the screening of the film "Roda".

"It has been seven days since hooligans stopped the screening of Isa Ćosje's film at the Djada Film Fest (DžFF) just because it is in Albanian. To date, the police have not issued an official statement on what measures and actions have been taken to identify the hooligans and why they have not yet been prosecuted. We are surprised by the slow reaction of state authorities to such a dangerous outpouring of hatred and a matter of particular public importance," the statement reads.

They say that if the public does not receive complete and timely answers to these questions, "doubts about the integrity of the work of the competent authorities" will be justified.

They say that the policy of impunity and institutional silence must not be an option when it comes to incidents of national, religious and linguistic intolerance.

"Finally, we express concern about the lack of public condemnation by numerous institutions responsible for the social environment — from the Prime Minister to state institutions that were also the sponsors of the festival: the Capital City Administration, the Ministry of Culture and Media and the Ministry of Tourism, as well as the Ministry of Justice, given the importance of combating hate speech for negotiations with the EU in Chapter 23."

Their silence sends a message that violence and hate speech can be tolerated, says a statement signed by: Human Rights Action, Spektra Association, Center for Civic Education, Center for Investigative Journalism, Center for Women's Rights, Ipso Facto and civic activists Dina Bajramspahić, Jovana Marović and Paula Petričević.