The Humanitarian Law Center joins the Sandzak Committee for Human Rights in condemning the incident that occurred at the concert of ethno band Balkanika in Novi Pazar. The Humanitarian Law Center finds the behaviour of a group of youth that vandalised and damaged the band’s equipment immediately preceding the concert both distressing and unacceptable.

Music of the band Balkanika, inspired by folklore heritage of the Balkans and performed on traditional instruments, presents a part of this region’s cultural heritage in an artistic fashion that does not infringe on cultural or religious beliefs of any nation or ethnic group. Thus, the Humanitarian Law Center finds the claims presented by the group of youth before the concert that “…[band Balkanika] works against Islam…this is Devil’s business” utterly fabricated and false.

The Humanitarian Law Center encourages inter-ethnic tolerance and commitment to human rights in Novi Pazar and Sandzak and strongly condemns any sort of violence against artistic and cultural endeavours, particularly if they are inspired by religious or ethnic intolerance. The Humanitarian Law Center is hereby asking the authorities to take appropriate measures against the responsible parties, and hopes that the local religious organisations and other members of civil society will join us in condemning this event.