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In the organization of Office for Human and Minority Rights of the Republic of Serbia, with the support of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, on December 4 and 5, 2017, in the hotel “Sloboda” in Sabac was held a Coordination Meeting of representatives of competent state bodies and civil society organizations in the aim of establishing a mechanism for combating hate crime in the Republic of Serbia. The aforementioned cross-sectoral meeting is a regular forum for discussion on issues related to hate crimes between state authorities and representatives of civil society organizations.
On the first working day, the meeting was opened by Vladimir Šoć, independent advisor at the Office for Human and Minority Rights and a national contact person for the fight against hate crimes, and Jelena Jokanović, representative of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, who presented current activities which their institutions are taking action in the field of combating hate crimes, as well as an action plan for 2018. Following the introductory presentation, participants of the meeting were presented activities which has bee undertaken as well as planned activities of the in the field of fighting against hate crimes by its organizations. In this part of the meeting Doc. Dr Aleksandar R. Ivanović, President of the Board of Directors of the Citizens Association Monitor, presented the activities that this association had undertaken in the previous period on the fight against hate crimes and announced the planed activities in the field of prevetion of hate crimes.
On the second working day by Jasmina Kiurski, Deputy Appellate Public Prosecutor, Tamara Mirovic, Deputy Public Prosecutor and Biljana Sinanovic, Judges of the Supreme Court of Cassation, were presented current situation regarding the implementation of criminal legislation related to hate crimes in the Republic of Serbia, as well as content of still unpublished coauthor publication which containing guidelines and recommendations for criminal justice authorities and the police for documenting and prosecuting crimes against hate.