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Prevent Extradition of Captain Dragan
Reci
Njegove Svetosti Patrijaha Srpskog Gospodina
Pavla, Kapetanu Draganu.
Latest from Court
05.09.2007 (serbsforjustice)
“Today’s (5th September 2007) hearing in the Federal court moved the hearing for the Habeas Corpus and the Section 39B hearings to the 21st - 23rd of November 2007 pending the availability of Clive Evatt SC. A timetable was also set for evidence and submissions to be provided by the respective parties.
The Habeas Corpus hearing is the order that Daniel be released from jail without condition. If this is run successfully then there is a strong possibility that all other matters related to what we believe is the illegal warrant for Daniel’s arrest and extradition will lapse and Daniel will be free to get on with his life.
In the matter of the review of the magistrate’s decision that Daniel is eligible for extradition, the hearing has been set for the 11th December 2007 for direction only. (Remember that if the Habeas Corpus is successful then this action may lapse.)
With respect to the defamation case that was successfully run recently by Clive Evatt SC, the appeal period for The Australian has lapsed and Daniel’s defence team have not received any notification that an appeal has been lodged. The six week period for The Australian to lodge a defence with regard to the contents of the defamatory article expires next week. Daniel’s defence team has not been made aware of the existence of a defence by The Australian at this stage.
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Vladika Irinej u posjeti kod Kapetana Dragana
15.08.2007 (serbsforjustice)
U pratnji prote Djure Djurdjevica i Djordja Bubala preosveceni Vladika gospodin Irinej posetio je Dragana u Sidnejskom zatvoru. Pored Vladike i Prote u poseti je bila i Nada Lukich.
Razgovor i sama poseta je mnogo znacila za Kepa ali i za Vladiku Irineja nisu se videli 3 ili 4 godine i ta poslednje poseta je bila u Beogradu.
Dragan u zatvoru lezi vec 20 meseci i posete kao sto su danasnja znaci mu mnogo Srpska zajednica u Australiji radi na sve moguce nacine da do oslobadanja dodje sto pre. Momentalno sve je u rukama advokata ali i politickih mocnika drzave Austrailje koji pokusavaju na sve moguce nacine da se ne zamere prijateljima i kolegama iz Hrvatske.
Po svim procenama do izrucenja nece doci ni ove godine.
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PRVI KORAK DO PRAVDE
31.07.2007 (serbsforjustice)
Denis Brus, jedan od advokata Dragana Vasiljkovica koiji se bore na tri razlicita suda u tri parnice kako bi dokazali nesto sto je zapravo svima jasno, NEVIN COVEK LEZI U ZATVORU GOPTOVO DVE GODINE SAMO ZATO STO JE LAZNO OKLEVETAN , obavestio je clanove Lobi organizacije “ Srbi za istinu i demokratiju” o trenutnim tokovima ovih sudskih procesa.
Odrzana je naime rasprava na Sudu za defamaciju - pokrenutu od strane Dragana Vasiljkovica za klevete iznete u australijskoj novini “The Australian” . Odluke sudija na tom sudu su prvi pozitivni koraci Draganovi, a i citave srpske zajednice, u borbi za pravdu i istinu . Naime, prema objasnjenjima gospodina Brusa, cetiri od pet sudija se izjasnilo da je novinski clanak izneo neistine o Draganu Vasiljkovicu. Mada jos nista nije zavrseno , suprotnoj strain je odobreno narednih 6 nedelja da pripremi odbranu, ovakva odluka je veoma znacajna za sledeca dva rocista koja treba da se odrze, jedno 10. avgusta, a drugo 15 avgusta , na Visokom i Federalnom sudu na kom se advokati bore protiv odluke za izrucenje Vasiljkovica Hrvatskoj koja ga trazi za navodne ratne zlocine. Na jednom od ovih parnica ponovo ce se uciniti pokusaj da se od suda zatrazi oslobadjenje Draganovo i da se ovom coveku dozvoli da se brani sa slobode!
U svom obracanju clanovima Lobi Organizacije, gospodin Brus je izrazio spremnost da ucestvuje u direktnom obavestavanju i razgovorima za australijska medija. Nakon toga ostavljeno je gospodinu Iliji Glisicu da zajedno sa Denisom Brusom , i uz pomoc ostalih clanova pravnog tima, organizuju inreviju i da se pripreme susreti sa predstavnicima ausrtaliskih medijksih kuca.
Istovremeno, definisano je nekoliko znacajnih akcija u cilju organizovanja susreta i humanitarnih svecanosti kako bi se i nadalje, kao u ostalom i tokom prtotekle godine, obezbedila neophodna sredstva za istinu i pravdu. Vec 23 avgusta planira se odrzavanje velikog piknika u saradnji sa svim Centrima i Crkvenoskolskim opstinama, koji ce se odrzati na crkvenom imanju u Rosmor. U oktobru ce se odrzati humanitarni banket u severnom sidnejkom delu grada, a do kraja godine slicne manifestacije se pripremaju jos u tri organizacije i CSO u zapadnom Sidneju.
Sve ovo pokazuje da dvogodisnji zajednicki rad na obelodanjivanju istine, trazenju pravde i verovanju u demokratiju ove nase Australije, pocinje da pokazuje prve pozitivne rezultate. Upravo ova cinjenica treba da jos vise ulije pozitivne nade i energije svakom coveku dobre volje.
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ODBRANA DRAGANA VASILJKOVICA TRAZICE U AVGUSTU NJEGOVO PUSTANJE NA SLOBODU
22.06.2007 (serbsforjustice)
PROCES KOJI CE POTRAJATI
Odbrana Dragana Vasiljkovica podnece najkasnije u avgustu zahtev za njegovo pustanje da se brani sa slobode. Ovo je u cetvrtak izjavio barister Bredli Slougrouv, nakon kratkog pretresa odrzanog na Federalnom sudu Australije, na kome Vasiljkovic tuzi australijski Komonvelt i Republiku Hrvatsku za svoje, kako se tvrdi, nezakonito hapsenje.
Sudija Denis Kaudroj dao je odbrani kapetana Dragana jos vremena da pripremi izuzetno obimni materijal u kome, kao odgovorne, navodi Hrvatsku, zatim australijskog ministra pravosudja, drzzavnog pravobranioca, te upravnika zatvora Parkli u Sidneju i sudiju za prekrsaje Centralnog lokalnog suda koji je doneo odluku o zatvaranju. Kako su “Vesti” ranije izvestile, branioci tvrde da je prva 24 casa Vasiljkovica u Australiji u stvari uhapsila Hrvatska, koristeci se australijskim organima. S tim u vezi, sudija je zakazao nove rokove za pretres u julu, odnosno u avgustu.
Nakon sto je i Hrvatska ukljucena u proces, s te strane dosao je odgovor da je ona, kao strana zemlja, zastichena imunitetom od eventualnog sudskog postupka. Bredli Slougrouv tvrdi da to nije tacno i ceka da se o argumentima za i protiv takodje izjasni Federalni sud.
Cak i da je tacno pozivanje na imunitet, Hrvatska je nezaobilazan faktor u celom slucaju u kome ima svoj udeo, kazze barister.
Sudija Kaudroj odobrio je u cetvrtak odbrani Dragana Vasiljkovicha da joj se omoguci da s njim provede vise vremena u pripremi glavnog pretresa. Prema toj odluci, Slougrouv i njegov tim imace pravo da u zatvoru provedu s Kapetanom Draganom tri dana po punih osam sati.
Ovo je prvi put da je Vasiljkovic dobio toliko vremena da bude na raspolaganju svojim advokatima. Dosad, naime, branioci su, kao i svi drugi posetioci, imali pravo da provedu s njim samo po jedan sat za vreme svake posete. On sam, ako hoce da im telefonira, mora da stane u red pred telefonskom govornicom, sa ostalim zatvorenicima i da se telefonom posluzi u trajanju od deset minuta. Ukoliko postoji potreba da razgovara duze, mora da prekine i vrati se na kraj reda, sve dok ponovo ne stigne do telefona.
Ranije, javljeno je da bi celokupan materijal, ukljucujuci i zalbu na presudu Lokalnog suda koji odobrava izrucenje, trebalo da se nadje na Federalnom sudu u decembru. Time se proces ne zavrsava. Naprotiv. I taj pretres u decembru je, u sustini, proceduralne prirode i uvod u glavno saslusanje, tako da ce cela stvar jos potrajati, predvidja Bredli Slougrouv. Njegovo uverenje je da se radi o presedanu koji ima sansu da udje u istoriju australijskog, ali i medjunarodnog pravosudja.
Polazi se od toga, kako objasnjava Bredli Slougrouv, da Australija nema sa Hrvatskom bilateralni sporazum o izrucenju, a da je Hrvatska postupala mimo medjunarodnih sporazuma i povela postupak izvan Haskog tribunala koji Vasiljkovica ni za sta ne tereti.
Sergije Pricip
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He will be extradited to Croatia, if there are no funds for his trial
28.05.2007 (serbsforjustice)
Steve Plater, is an American from Saint Louis and a friend of Dragan Vasiljkovic, known as Kapetan Dragan from the days of the war. Mr Plater met Vasiljkovic in 1992 in the Region of Kninska Krajina, where he was filming a documentary. They formed a friendship then and still remain friends today. The American, as Vasiljkovic says sent the first 40 donations when he started his fund. Mr Plater not so long ago lived in Belgrade and is active in the defence of Kapetan Dragan in the Austrailian Courts, where he is held on an extradition demand from Croatia.
What are your reasons for defending Kapetan Dragan?
We are good friends and have been for 15 years. I was in Southern America when I heard that he had been arrested. I could not believe that, as I know him well and I know that he has done nothing wrong that warrants a trial. It took me a full four months to be able to make contact with him and then I went to visit him in the Australian prison. To date I have travelled three times to Australia and have visited Dragan twelve times. It is a difficult but I want to help. Dragan is a person that I know very well and I am certain that he has not committed even one of the war crimes and he would never have allowed a single one of his men to do something like that. If I had even one small doubt I would not be doing this, but there is no doubt.
You visited Dragan in prison, How was he feeling?
He has been in prison for 17 months. Sometimes he feels as though people have forgotten him. There is a large support from the Serbian society in Australia because his situation doesn’t just reflect on him, but on them and their children who are in the Australian Military. If Dragan is extradited to Croatia, does that mean that in ten years or so, some other country is going to ask for extradition of their children? Does that mean that in 10 to 15 years the future government of Iraq may seek extradition of the American Soldiers serving there today? The problem with what is happening is that one nation wants revenge at the expense of Dragan.
Does Kapetan Dragan have any problems in prison, assuming that there are prisoners of Croatian descent?
The prison authorities have placed Dragan in a section of the prison for maximum security. In Australia, if you are have not been found guilty of any criminal act, then you are placed in a lower security unit, but not him. Dragan is in the maximum security unit for those same reasons you asked and also because he has been portrayed badly in the media.
In what way can we help him?
The people here probably do not realise, but I do, just how hard life is in Serbia, that it is very difficult to collect resources. Many people, and I know this from incidences in the USA where monies have gone missing and they simply say “Okay, get rid of me” I would not want this to happen to Dragan. In the west a large amount of money is needed when a man is on trial. Australia hypothetically use the Anglo-Saxon correct system and in every Country where he is recognised, hopefully Kapetan Dragan’s circumstances can be a precedent that will govern the outcome of other similar situations. And in reality that is the most important for Dragan’s situation. He never had the premiss of “I came to Krajina to become a Major Commander” He went to Krajina to provide uniforms for the soldiers and then he realised that he could do more, and he went wherever he was needed. When he set up his Fund after the war, he helped thousands of people. When every one of those 40 to 50 thousand people whom he helped pledged just 5 Euros each for his defence he would be released from prison and hundreds of Serbs, grateful to the precedent set would not face extraction themselves. This is not just about one man.
Would the fortunate outcome of Spanovic, where the British court ruled not to extradite him, because in Croatia he would not get a fair trial, help Dragan?
Spanovic has one more court hearing that he has to attend, because the Croatian side has entered another plea. However if this reaches the same conclusion, it would be immense help, but in our system this could take years. Every precedence is able to be of help, but I am not sure if the Australian justice will take that into account as relevant. Generally speaking I believe that Dragan can win his case and his Lawyers believe that too. But for that we need time, maybe even a year because there is a possibility that Dragan may yet again have a chance at the High Courts.
Kapetan Dragan was at the Hague, as a witness, but they never wanted him as a guilty man?
No only as that. They said that there was not one piece of evidence that he was ever a war criminal, and there was no interest in him. But that has not helped him in Australia, as because there it was seen as an extradition order against him, but that was not his fault. If Canada had wanted him then they would have had to show evidence, if the USA, England or France had wanted him then they too would have had to show evidence. Because Croatia has signed an extradition agreement with Australia, they do not have to show evidence. Because of this the Lawyers are challenging the Extradition agreement. There are other acts that protect war criminals, such as the Geneva Convention and then there’s the Hague Tribunal. Australia has signed these International agreements and in accordance with them then each Country is bound to show evidence in order for an extradition. Many forget that a number of Serbs, 16 or 17 have been extraditions orders to Croatia. A number have been tried in their absence. For Dragan it is only a matter of time, Croatia has not petitioned for his extradition as a war criminal but for questioning over war crimes. If they had enough evidence, I am sure that he would have already been tried in his absence too. This is the only way that they have to get to him and if they do not manage too, then there remains no reason for any others to be extradited.
If, he is extradited to Croatia, how will you feel?
I am very worried, not just because he is my friend. Here, I know that I don’t have to explain how the Croatians feel about Kapetan Dragan. A large number of prisoners there are not as important as him, and because of this there is a well founded fear for his safety. Honestly I do not believe he will be alive for very long if he were to be extradited to Croatia.
Are you in contact with the Serbin Community of the USA?
A little while ago a young gentleman in Chicago had organised collecting funds to help Kapetan Dragan, and he has sent those few thousand dollars to the Serbian Community in Australia.
America is a very large Country and there are a large number of Serbs living there with Serbian organisations, clubs, churches, and there are a number of Serbs on the extradition list . Lawyers are expensive and the Serbs in America have having to fight those causes for justice, and because of this they cannot help Dragan’s Cause.
However there are a number of people who are helping
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Sastanak Srpske Zajednice u Sidneju
April 19th, 2007 (serbsforjustice)
Predstavnici Srpse zajednice preko 46 clanova odrazali su sastanak sa clanovima Lobi grupe Srbi za istinu i demokratiju u Srpskom Sportskom centru Bonerig.
Cilj sastanka je bio da se utvrdi plan i program za daljni rad u odbrani Kapetana Dragana.
Sastanak su pratili predstanvici Srpske pravoslavne Crkve kao i predstavnici Srpske diplomatije.
Lobi grupa Srbi za istinu i demokratiju je dobila jos tri clana a to su gospodin Ilija Glisic, gospodjica Nada Lukic Bruce i Tomislav Gajic.
Ilija je odmah izabran da vodi tim koji ce iskljucivo suradjivati sa svim medijskim kucama u Australiji i van Australije.
Na ovom sastanku na predlog Ilije Glisica donesena je i vrlo vazna odluka da Srpski lobi Srbs for Justice and Democracy od sada nastupa u Australiji kao “Australians for Justice”.
Australijski Srbi su dosli do zakljucka da brane Dragana i kao Australca i Australijskog drzavljanina. Predsednik Organizacije George Bubalo je saopstio da ce se mnogo lakse razgovarati sa Australskim politicarima i medijskim kucama ako dolazimo kao predstavnici lobi organizacije “Australians for Justice” nego “Serbs for Justice and Democracy”.
Nakon iscrpne debate predlog je prihvacen i ujedno puna podrska data je clanovima Lobija na celu sa Predsednikom Bubalom da nastave sa svojim planovima i programom u odbrani Srpske nacije i da sto pre oslobode Kapetana Dragana.
26.04.07 Federalni sud U Sidneju ce verovatno saopstiti detalje i datume izlaska pred ovaj sud.
U isto vreme Federalni sud ce razmotriti ‘application for bail’ iako mislimo da postoje male sanse da se Kapetan brani sa slobode.
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Report from Sydney Central Local Court
April 16th, 2007 (serbsforjustice)
Dragan Vasiljkovic (Daniel Snedden) who appeared at Sydney’s Central Local Court 12.04.2007. was informed by Deputy Chief Magistrate Paul Cloran he was eligible for surrender to the Republic of Croatia in relation to the extradition offences. He has been committed to prison to await surrender to the Republic of Croatia.
The magistrate made a comment “it is important to state that the function of this court is to determine administratively whether Mr. Snedden is eligible for surrender to Croatia. The process involves no adjudication of guilt or innocence. It is undertaken for the purpose of enabling such an adjudication to be made in a foreign place, according to foreign law, in circumstances where Australia has no intention itself of bringing the person to trial for the conduct of which the person is accused.”
The Magistrate made a final comment where he stated “the concern in the no evidence scheme, in my view emphasises the potential for persons to be wrongly extradited, albeit legally. Many lawyers would find it surprising that, in responding to a request from Croatia for the surrender to its criminal justice system of an Australian Citizen, Australia’s requirements for supporting information are less than its requirements in responding to a similar request from the United Kingdom, or the United States of America. The question of supporting information is a matter that affects human rights, and involves an important issue of public policy. This courts concern however is with legislative power, and that has been the focus of the argument.”
Mr Snedden has 15 days to apply for a review of the surrender order to the Federal Court of Australia or the Supreme Court of New South Wales.
An application is being prepared for the Federal Court of Australia and the matter is listed in Court on 19 April 2007.
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Court news
21.03.2007 serbsforjustice
Decision of the magistrate on Dragan’s eligibility for surrender to Croatia has been scheduled for 12 April 2007 (instead of 22 March 2007).
Meanwhile, the Federal Court has delayed Dragan’s application for freedom until after the magistrate’s decision.
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Godinu dana od hapsenja Kapetana Dragana
January 20th, 2007 serbsforjusticeU Sidneju u iscekivanju pravde i istine, u ocekivanju slobode, covek prezivljava traume sudskog procesa u kom ga tuze i sude bez ikakvih dokaza koji bi opravdali torturu kroz koju ovaj gradjann Australije u Australiji prolazi citavu godinu.
Odluka sudije Lokalnog Suda u Sidneju, koji je saslusao svedoke i samog Dragana Vasiljkovica tokom decembarskog procesa za ekstradiciju, ocekuje se sredinom meseca marta. U medjuvremenu legalni tim za odbranu Kapetana Dragana nastavlja svoj rad.
Naime, kako je barister Brad Slowgove objasnio, odlukom koja sledi u martu - process najverovatnije nece biti zavrsen. Ako odluka bude na strani drzave Hrvatske i ekstradicije, legalni tim koji zastupa Kapetana, ulozice zalbu na odluku vise-stepenom sudu sve do najvisih pravnih istitucija zemlje. Ako doneta odluka bude oslobadjajuca za Kapetana Dragana, ocekuje se da ce suprotna strana uloziti zalbu visem sudu. Sve to ukazuje na verovatnocu da ce proces za istinu potrajati, jos koji mesec, mozda i citavu godinu.
Pred nama je jos mnogo posla i zajednickih zalaganja i akcija kako bi se ovaj slucaj u kom Srbi zele pravdu doveo do prabvednog kraja.
Uporedo sa advokatima i baristerima, i clanovi srpske zajednice nastavljaju sa aktivnostima u cilju okupljanja ljudi, prikupljanja materijalnoh sredstava kao i moralne podrske u svim gradovima australije, i sto je veoma znacajno, polako ali sigurno Srpskom Lobiju za Pravdu i Demokratiju, se prikljucuju i organizacije i pojedinci iz svih krajeva sveta.
Na nedavno odrzanom skupu barrister Slowgove je objasnio prisutnima detalje medjunarodnog prava koji jednostavno nisu ispostovani u dosadasnjem toku sudskog procesa, a koji ce sigurno biti uzeti u obzir u narednom periodu. Takodje je upucena zahvalnost svim ljudima dobre volje koji su do sada na bilo koji nacin pomogli da se borba za istinu i demokratska ljudska prava ispostuju, sa pozivom da se nastavi u istom pravcu do pravednog cilja.
Ovom prilikom jasno je istaknuta podrska Srpske Pravoslavne Crkve, kao i Diplomatije drzave Srbije, i postovanje za sve sto su ljudi, odvajajuci novac i vreme, iz svog svakodnevnog zivota, postigli tokom protekle godine, kako bi se izborili za pravedniji tretman u drustvu u kom zive.
Osnovna poruka clanova Lobi Grupe je da se nastavi u istom smeru i da se druzenjem, razgovorima i okupljanjima obezbedi materijalna podrska advokatima.
Jedna od najznacajnijih manifestacija tokom godine je svakako SVETOSAVSKI OMLADINSKI FESTIVAL, koji se svake godine odrzava u manastiru Svetog Save u Kamberi. Ovom prilikom, u okviru programa i aktivnosti organizovanih za sve goste, bice osmisljen i kutak Lobi Grupe, gde ce zainteresovani moci da dobiju informacije, da daju sugestije, kao i da priloze materijalnu pomoc za nastavak pravne borbe za oslobadjanje Kapetana Dragana.
