Jankovic: Threats to LGBT persons must be sanctioned

BELGRADE - Serbia's Protector of Citizens Sasa Jankovic met on Tuesday with the representatives of the Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) and expressed his support to the organization's efforts aimed at combating discrimination against LGBT persons and strongly condemned the death threats against its activists.

"There is no justification for threats of violence and state bodies must use severe sanctions against them," Jankovic stressed in a release.

Serbia is a country of all its citizens, and they are all equal. Those who think differently and who make death threats against others should feel the full weight of the law, Jankovic underlined.

He also pointed out that every person in Serbia has had a chance to learn about the diversity of sexual orientation and gender identity, and to combat the prejudice and homophobia in themselves.

The Gay Straight Alliance stated on Monday that it received death threats on its SOS helpline, which is used to report violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and stressed that it expects the police to take urgent steps to identify the person responsible and bring them to justice.

As announced, a male who called the number insulted and cursed at the GSA executive director who answered the phone, after which he shouted “you should all be killed”.

Photo Tanjug Video