Files stolen at the Human Rights House of Sarajevo

Saturday night, the Human Rights House in Sarajevo was broken into. Computers containing the complete documentation and archives of the Helsinki Committee were stolen. The organisation suspects that the motive was political. (27-SEP-04)

In the night hours between 25 and 26 September 2004, the building of the Human Rights House was broken into. The building houses a number of NGOs active in thearea of human rights protection: Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Women to Women, Human Rights Office of the Serb Civic Council and the Citizens´ Association Renaissance.

During the break-in, two computers and two movie cameras were stolen, while the burglars ransacked the archives of the organisations that have their head office in the Human Rights House.

The break-in was reported to the police, which very shortly after performed the on-site investigation and undertook all other necessary actions.

Only computers with documentation
It is symptomatic that only those computers which contained the complete documentation and archives of the Helsinki Committee were stolen, along with two cameras. Other, more modern and more expensive equipment was not touched by the burglars. In the light of these facts, we assume that this was not a simple burglary with gain as motive, but rather a break-in the purpose of which was to get the information about the activities of the Helsinki Committee.

Attempt to intimidate and threaten
This act is seen by the human rights activists as an attempt to intimidate and threaten those who work on protection and promotion of human rights and freedoms. The work of the Helsinki Committee is open to public, and the bosnian-and-herzegovinian and international public is informed of the Committee´s activities. Because of that, such low blows can only be a threat to the positive processes in Bosnia and Herzegovina and a serious assault against human rights.

We expect from the law enforcement bodies quickly to find the perpetrators and identify the motives of this gross attack against the non-governmental sector and the organisations engaged in protection of human rights and freedoms.

Srdjan Dizdarevic 
President of the Helsinki Committee in Bosnia and Herzegovina
President of the Managing Board of the Human Rights House

International Helsinki Federation Press release:
Files of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia-Herzegovina Stolen!