26. June 2001

Sir!

On behalf of the members of the German Section of the International Committee to Defend Slobodan Milosevic, I wish to inform you that many people in Germany who opposed the German Government´s participation in the NATO aggression against your country, are utterly disgusted at the recent measures of the present Serbian rulers aiming at handing over your predecessor Slobodan Milosevic to the Hague Tribunal.

The Hague Tribunal arrogates itself the function of an international judicial body. It has been created by the UN Security Council on the authority of the UN Charter, Chapter VII. But Chapter VII does not grant the Security Council the right to create judicial bodies. In setting up the Tribunal, the Security Council acted ultra vires. The Tribunal is an illegal body.

Moreover this "court" has been used as a tool by the aggressors. Its Chief Prosecutors have been acting as surrogate politicians. They have, of course, refused to deal with the severe war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by their NATO masters. They try to turn NATO´s victims into criminals. In fact with the "indictment" of the former president of Yugoslavia this "court" tries to incriminate the entire nation of Serbs and Yugoslavs, who defended the sovereignty and integrity of their country.

Until recently you seemed to share the view, that the Hague Tribunal was a mockery of all principles of a democratic judicial body. You gave your word to your predecessor never to condone his prosecution by such an institution.

It was clear to our delegation of jurists headed by the Canadian attorney Christopher Black, who met in Belgrade with Mr. Toma Fila, counsel for Mr. Milosevic, with officials of the Ministry of Justice, with the Deputy Presiding Judge of the Belgrade District Court and with the Investigative Judge and others involved in Mr. Milosevic´s case, that there is not a shred of evidence that Mr. Milosevic committed any crime, and that your country is faced with blackmail by the United States and other aggressor states.

Your country, throughout its glorious history, has withstood the enemies of its independence. Many times your nation proved, that it could not be blackmailed, neither in 1914 by Austria (already then trying to usurp Yugoslav sovereignty in judicial matters), nor in 1941 by fascist Germany, nor in 1999 by NATO aggressors at Rambouillet. Your country deserves better than a Government prepared to trade national sovereignty for a handful of Dollars, which must be paid back many times over.

All peace-loving people in Germany, many of them of Yugoslav origin, who supported your country´s struggle against the genocidal embargo and aggression, who opposed the racist media campaign against Serbs, and, last but not least, who showed their solidarity in the form of material help, wish to deepen the friendship between Germany and your country struggling to regain an equal position in the community of sovereign and democratic nations. May all those be ashamed, who act as gravediggers of their own nation, as enemies of the international peace movement and as accomplices in the destruction of international law.

We condemn the present German Government not only for their participation in the criminal NATO aggression against your country but also for their support of and collaboration with the illegal Hague Tribunal.

At the same time remembering, that you until recently wanted to be seen as a "legalist" and a "patriot", we appeal to you to save your country from shame and damage.

Through you, we also appeal to all those on whom the Yugoslav constitution bestows the duty of protecting the sovereignty and legal order of the country.

Our call for the immediate release of Mr. Slobodan Milosevic is made in the interests of Yugoslavia as well as in the interest of all peace loving people the world over.

With best regards
sincerely yours
Klaus Hartmann
Spokesperson of the German Section
of the International Committee for
the Defense of Slobodan Milosevic

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Federal Foreign Minister Svilanovic: +381 11 3618 366
Serbian Minister of Justice Batic: +381 11 685 672

Contact: Klaus Hartmann, Schillstraße 7, D-63067 Offenbach am Main, T/F: 069 - 83 58 50; e-mail: vorstand@freidenker.de