From: Rick Rozoff <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: NATO Challenged Over Belgrade Bombing HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------- http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/world/europe/newsid_1616000/1616461.stm BBC News Wednesday, 24 October, 2001, Nato challenged over Belgrade bombing Sixteen people were killed in the attack The European Court of Human rights is to hear a case against Nato on Wednesday over the bombing of Belgrade's main TV station during the Kosovo conflict. Their relatives say the attack, which killed 16 people, was in breach of Europe's human rights charter and that they deserve compensation. The families of four of the victims and one survivor are claiming that the air strikes were illegal under Europe's human rights charter governing the right to life and freedom of expression. The hearing is only the first step to determine if the European Court of Human Rights has the jurisdiction even to hear the case. Propaganda war On the night of 23 April 1999, Nato aircraft attacked the government-run studios of Radio Television Serbia (RTS) in Belgrade, in which those killed, most of them production workers, had been ordered to report for work. The attack was part of Nato's air campaign to force the Yugoslav Government of former President Slobodan Milosevic to withdraw its forces from Kosovo. [Countries accused Belgium Czech Republic Denmark France Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Italy Luxembourg The Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Spain Turkey United Kingdom] At the time, Nato defended the air strike by saying the TV station was a legitimate target because of its role in what Nato called Belgrade's campaign of propaganda. The applicants to the Court of Human Rights argue that the individual Nato member states are responsible for the bombing, even though it was carried out by Nato forces. They are suing the European members of Nato - but not the United States and Canada - for compensation. Lawyers for the Nato states, which have denied the charges, say that because the former Yugoslavia was not a signatory to the European Charter of Human Rights, the court cannot hear the case. If the states are found responsible, the survivor and families could be awarded damages. A judgement is due in several weeks. _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________
