Izvor: N1 televizija, 07.Nov.2018, 18:28 (ažurirano 02.Apr.2020.)
First sentence for hate crime in Serbia
Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights (YUCOM) said that on November 2, the Belgrade First Basic Court passed the first verdict for "a hate crime with a particular aggravating circumstance" in Serbia, punishing a perpetrator with three years suspended sentence.
The case involved domestic violence against an LGBT person.
According to a survey conducted by organisations advocating the LGBT rights, the members of this community experience violence by family members in 40 >> Pročitaj celu vest na sajtu N1 televizija << percent of the cases.
Therefore, the YUCOM statement added, the sentence was particularly important for protecting not only the LGBT people rights but also the rights of the members of other minority groups.
The statement added YUCOM hoped the verdict would affect court practice in these and similar cases.
In December 2012, the Criminal Code of the Republic of Serbia introduced the ‘Article 54a Special circumstances for determination of a sentence for a hate crime, stipulating that crimes motivated by hate based on race and religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity shall be considered as a compulsory aggravating circumstance.'
The November 2nd verdict was the first implementation of the Article.
