On this year’s European Day for Victims of Crime, the Victimology Society of Serbia reminds you that all victims and their needs must be recognized, and their rights fully respected.
We draw special attention to the direct and indirect victims of mass murders that took place in Serbia, and especially to two mass murders on May 3 and 4, 2023.
We are launching an initiative to declare May 3 as the Day of Remembrance for Victims of Mass Murders. In this way, we want to remember all victims of mass murders every year and send a message the public and the state that such tragic events must not be repeated. Petition to collect signatures for support for this initiative can be found at the following link. We invite all citizens of Serbia to empathize and contribute to building a culture of remembrance. We must not forget victims of mass murders and must prohibit repeat events in the future.
In order to respond to the needs of all victims, provide support, develop a culture of remembrance and prevent mass casualties again, it is necessary to undertake the following:
- Develop a strategy for long-term victim support that would include an individual assessment of needs in terms of psycho-social, legal, practical, financial and other support and how this support would be proactively offered and provided to victims.
- Recognition of direct and indirect victims of mass murders as victims of crime.
- Recognition of victims’ rights, as set out in the Victims’ Rights Directive.
- Develop a consultation process for a memorial center, defining its activities to ensure victims are remembered, and that lessons learned after mass murders are etched into our collective memory.
- Establish a crisis response system for mass violence, which will enable better, faster and more adequate support.
On the occasion of February 22nd, we remember all those killed and injured on May 3rd, 2023 in the Vladislav Ribnikar Elementary School and on May 4th, 2023 in Mali Orašje and Duboni.
In the Vladislav Ribnikar elementary school in Belgrade, the following were killed:
Ana Božović (11), Bojana Asović (11), Katarina Martinović (12), Mara Anđelković (13), Ema Kobiljski (13), Sofija Negić (13), Angelina Aćimovič (14), Andriana Dukić (14), Andrija Čikić (14), Dragan Vlahović (53).
On the same day, the following were injured: teacher Tatjana Stevanović (52) and students Andrej Batinić, Veljko Milošević, Jovan Dimitrijević, Helena Komnenović and Vladimir Popević (severely wounded).
On May 4th, 2023, the following were killed in Dubona and Mali Orašje:
Nikola Milić (15), Marko Mitrović (18), Aleksandar Milovanović (18), Kristina (19), Milan Panić (22), Lazar Milovanović (20), Petar Mitrović (20), Nemanja Stevanović (21), and Dalibor Todorović (25).
On the same day, Ivan Ivković (16), Andrijana Mitrović (17), and Anđela Stevanović (17) were seriously injured in Dubona. Nevena Vujić (19), Jovica Stevanović (52), who remained a quadriplegic, Predrag Mijailović (54) and Milomir Mijailović (56).
In Mali Orašje, the following were seriously injured: Nemanja Ilić (20), Jovan Ranković (21), Miloš Jovanović (23), Nikola Mitrović (19), Aleksa Đorđević (21) and Milan Pešić (32) from Great Krsna.
We extend our support to all survivors, as well as the families of all those who died or were injured.
Victim Support Europe will mark the European Day for Victims of Crime on February 22nd, 2024 with the event “Leave No One Behind: Victims’ Rights and the Sustainable Development Goals” at the Press Club, Brussels. 33 years ago, 12 victim support organizations gathered to form Victim Support Europe. In the same year, February 22nd was proclaimed European Day for Victims of Crime. Their vision was a Europe united in its efforts to help to every victimised individual.
The Victimology Society of Serbia is an independent and non-profit association of citizens, founded on November 12, 1997 with the aim of improving and protecting the rights of victims. Since 2003, we have operated a victims’ information service, which has been a part of the European Aid to Victims since 2004. More than 12,000 individuals have availed of the service so far.
Read the original press release here.
