Miodrag Linta, President of the Association of Serbs, has mentioned that the recent detention of Dragutin Celap, a 70-year-old Krajina Serb from Topusko, forms part of a targeted campaign of threats and harassment directed at Serbs living in Croatia.

‘’The message from this arrest is directed to all the displaced Serbs who, in a more or less distant future, may wish to return to their homes and reclaim their property – do not even think about it,’’ states Linta.

Linta also reproached Croatian authorities for having non-transparent practices and insisting on launching court proceedings based on fabricated testimonials. “As for Serbs in Croatia, the rule of law does not exist.

There are people arrested without any evidence that they have committed the criminal offenses which they are accused of,” he stated.

Dragutin Ćelap was taken into custody on war crime charges on October 2 in the environs of Vrginmost, where it is alleged he committed a war crime against civilians in July 1991.

Linta argues that such measures are intended to scare the very few remaining Serbs in Croatia so that they too would exit their homes, which is a clear violation of their fundamental and civil rights.