Human rights news: May 2001
UMO "Ilinden" activists allege violation of their right to peaceful assembly
Sofia, 17 May 2001 - In a complaint to the European Court of Human Rights the Executive Committee of the United Macedonian Organisation (UMO) "Ilinden" reports of two cases of violation of the organisation's right to peaceful assembly.
The organisation claims that the authorities hampered the commemorative activities marking the death of Yane Sandanski on 22 April this year. Although the organisation members were allowed to visit the grave and carry out the planned activities, a number of incidents during the event reportedly give reason to believe that there had been a violation of their right to peaceful assembly. In their complaint, the UMO "Ilinden" members report that the police forcefully tore off the band of the wreath which was to be laid at Yane Sandanski's grave and detained one the people carrying it. Angel Trenev was then driven to the nearby village of Rozhen in a police car, where he was released and reportedly warned that he would receive a 500 leva [app. 500 DM] fine if he returned. UMO "Ilinden" activists also complain that the two Bulgarian flags placed on the grave before their arrival had effectively prevented them from laying flowers on it. "It is not the tradition in this country to place flags on graves. Not a single party or organisation places flags on similar occasions," they write in their complaint. They further claim that the police prohibited the use of loudspeakers in the event, and that the water in the only source of drinking water in the locality has been turned off on the day of the anniversary. At the same time, two days before the commemoration the municipal authorities in the town of Sandanski had banned a catering company from serving refreshments on the scene of the activities. The complaint also notes "the slanderous materials against the UMO "Ilinden" in press the next day", which openly misinformed the public.
The commemoration of the anniversary from the death of Gotze Delchev organised on May 4 in the town of Blagoevgrad was similarly hampered when eight policemen stopped UMO "Ilinden" activists and ordered them to remove the wreath band with the inscription "98 years from the murder of Gotze Delchev - UMO 'Ilinden'". The police officers claimed that regional prosecutor Snezhana Katzarska had issued a decree banning the placing of flowers on the monument, but they failed to produce the decree. A group of seven-eight people, claiming to be ordinary citizens, started protesting against the commemorative activities; organisation members claim, however, that Mr Aljosha Kapchin, head of the district security service, was among them. Finally, the UMO "Ilinden" activists headed towards the Virgin Mary Church, where they laid the wreath. Upon leaving the church premises, they were reportedly threatened with physical violence by the same group of people. In the evening, the wreath which they had placed during the day, was removed by three unidentified persons.
In both cases, the organisation had duly informed the municipal authorities about the planned activities, as provided for by the Meetings and Rallies Act. No response was received in either case, which automatically meant that there was no prohibition for the commemoration.