ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This report is based on a fact-finding mission in Serbia conducted by Fred Abrahams, Research Associate at Human Rights Watch/Helsinki, from February 7 to February 22, 1997. The report was written by Mr. Abrahams and edited by Holly Cartner, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch/Helsinki and Dinah PoKempner, Deputy General Council of Human Rights Watch. Human Rights Watch/Helsinki Associate Emily Shaw provided production assistance.

Human Rights Watch/Helsinki would like to thank all of the individuals who assisted in the preparation of this report, especially those who provided the testimony on which the report is based. Special thanks go to Ivanka Kosti_, Nata_a Kandi_ and Branomir Ple_e from the Humanitarian Law Center in Belgrade, Sonja Biserko from the Serbian Helsinki Committee and Veran Mati_ from Radio B-92 for their expert advice, and to Katerina Muti_ and Indira Kajesovi_ for their translations. Jelena Peji_ from the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights in New York also provided valuable comments on an early draft.

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Human Rights Watch/Helsinki

Human Rights Watch is dedicated to protecting the human rights of people around the world.

We stand with victims and activists to bring offenders to justice, to prevent discrimination, to uphold political freedom and to protect people from inhumane conduct in wartime.

We investigate and expose human rights violations and hold abusers accountable.

We challenge governments and those holding power to end abusive practices and respect international human rights law.

We enlist the public and the international community to support the cause of human rights for all.

The staff includes Kenneth Roth, executive director; Susan Osnos, associate director; Michele Alexander, development director; Cynthia Brown, program director; Barbara Guglielmo, finance and administration director; Patrick Minges, publications director; Jeri Laber, special advisor; Lotte Leicht, Brussels office director; Susan Osnos, communications director; Jemera Rone, counsel; Wilder Tayler, general counsel; and Joanna Weschler, United Nations representative. Robert L. Bernstein is the chair of the board and Adrian W. DeWind is vice chair.

Its Helsinki division was established in 1978 to monitor and promote domestic and international compliance with the human rights provisions of the 1975 Helsinki Accords. It is affiliated with the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights, which is based in Vienna, Austria. Holly Cartner is the executive director; Rachel Denber is the deputy director; Fred Abrahams, Erika Dailey, Andreas Lommen, Maxine Marcus, Christopher Panico, and Diane Paul are research associates; Diederik Lohman is the Moscow office director, Alexander Petrov is the Assistant Moscow office director; John MacLeod is the Toshkent office director; Marie Struthers is the Dushanbe office director; and Liudmila Belova, Malcolm Hawkes, Emily Shaw, and Juliet Wilson are associates. Jonathan Fanton is the chair of the advisory committee and Peter Osnos and Alice Henkin are co-vice chairs.

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