Washington, 10 December 1996 (RFE/RL) - The United States has condemned the mistreatment of a participant in the Belgrade demonstrations who was taken into police custody.
State Department spokesman Glyn Davies said yesterday the United States is following the case of Dejan Bulatovic, who remains in prison although he urgently needs medical care for a severe beating he reportedly received from police.
Davies said the United States has warned the Serbian government that repression of the protesters will have serious consequences and will inevitably lead to Serbia's further isolation from the international community.
Commenting on yesterday's decision of the Serbian Supreme Court to endorse the government's annullment of last month's municipal elections, Davies said the court is under the influence of Serbian president Slobodan Milosevic' ruling party but nevertheless its endorsement was not unanimous.
He said the United States so far has seen no sign that Milosevic' government is willing to enter a dialogue with the demonstrators or allow lats month's election results to stand. Davies called again on the Serbian government to allow those duly elected to take their seats in local assemblies.
He said the United States would continue to raise the issue and focus international attention on the anti-democratic actions of the Serbian government.