HUMAN RIGHTS INQUIRY: RADOMIR VELJKOVIC

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90B01390R000700900141-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 14, 2010
• Sequence Number: 141
• Publication Date: January 3, 1986
• Content Type: CABLE

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/10/24 :CIA-RDP90B01390R000700900141-8
PAGE 001 NC 9474773
TOR: 0316242 JAN 86 BELGRA 00023
RR RUEAIIB
ZNY CCCCC ZOC STATE ZZH
UTS3787
RR RUEHC
DE RUFHBE 110023 0031537
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 0315372 JAN 86
FM AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5594
BT
ELGRADE 00023
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PHUM, YO
SUBJECT: HUMAN RIGHTS INQUIRY: RADOMIR VELJKOVIC
2. IN RESPONSE TO INQUIRY BY SENATOR FRANK MURKOWSKI
(R-ALASKA) PASSED ON BY DEPARTMENT (REFTELS) ABOUT THE
CASE OF RADOMIR VELJKOVIC, ALLEGEDLY HELD IN A YUGOSLAV
MILITARY PSVCHIATRIC HOSPITAL SINCE 1973, EMBASSY HUMAN
RIGHTS OFFICER HAS ASKED OUR NORMAL HUMAN RIGHTS CON-
TACTS IN BELGRADE ABOUT THIS CASE. SEVERAL OF THEM
REMEMBER THE CASE, ALTHOUGH NONE OF EMBASSY'S REGULAR
CONTACTS HAVE RECENT INFORMATION ABOUT IT OR KNOW WHICH
LAWYER, IF ANY, IS NOW REPRESENTING VELJKOVIC AND HIS
FAMILY.
3. ACCORDING TO WHAT OUR CONTACTS HAVE HEARD, VELJKOVIC
IS STILL IN AN INSANE ASYLUM. THE CONSENSUS AMONG THOSE
WHO REMEMBER THE CASE IS THAT VELJKOVIC REALLY IS MENTALLY
UNBALANCED. ALTHOUGH NOT A DANGER TO SOCIETY.
4. VELJKOVIC HAS A LONG HISTORY OF DIFFICULTIES WITH
MILITARY AUTHORITIES, BEGINNING WITH A DISPUTE IN 1959
OVER DISTRIBUTION OF GOVERNMENT APARTMENTS ALLOCATED TO
HIS MILITARY UNIT. HE WAS DISCHARGED INVOLUNTARILY FROM
ACTIVE SERVICE IN 1967, AND IN 1973 WAS COMMITTED TO A
PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL REPORTEDLY BECAUSE HE WILDLY ACCUSED
PRESIDENT TITO OF ALLEGED CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES AGAINST THE
YUGOSLAV STATE. ONE BELGRADE CRIMINAL AND HUMAN RIGHTS
ATTORNEY WHO WAS APPROACHED BY THE FAMILY TO SEEK
VELJKOVIC'S RELEASE ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO OFFERED THE
OPINION THAT VELJKOVIC'S WRITINGS CLEARLY SHOW THAT HE
IS OUT OF TOUCH WITH REALITY. THIS DOES NOT NECESSARILY
JUSTIFY HIS INCARCERATION, THE ATTORNEY CONTINUED, BECAUSE
HE IS NOT A DANGER TO THOSE AROUND HIM. FAMILY MEMBERS
SEEK HIS RELEASE FROM THE HOSPITAL AND ARE APPARENTLY
WILLING TO TAKE CARE OF HIM AT HOME, IF SUCH CARE IS
NEEDED.
5. COMMENT: EMBASSY IS NOT OF COURSE IN ANY POSITION TO
PASS PROFESSIONAL JUDGEMENT ON VELJKOVIC'S MENTAL HEALTH.
VELJKOVIC MAY WELL NOT NEED TO BE INSTITUTIONALIZED, BUT
EMBASSY IS RELUCTANT TO RAISE HIS CASE WITH THE GOY,
SINCE THERE ARE APPARENTLY SUFFICIENT MEDICAL GROUNDS TO
OLL/LD
INCOMING
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/10/24 :CIA-RDP90B01390R000700900141-8
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/10/24 :CIA-RDP90B01390R000700900141-8
CONFIDENTIAL
86 9474773 SCR PAGE 002 NC 9474773
TOR: 0316242 JAN 86 BELGRA 00023
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RAISE DOUBTS ABOUT HIS ABILITY TO FUNCTION IN SOCIETY.
OUR HUMAN RIGHTS CONTACTS HAVE UNDERLINED THAT THIS CASE
DOES NOT INVOLVE STATE USE OF INVOLUNTARY PSYCHIATRIC
TREATMENT AGAINST AN OTHERWISE NORMAL PERSON BECAUSE OF
HIS/HER POLITICAL ACTIVITIES OR BELIEFS. WHICH FLATLY
CONTRADICTS THE ASSERTIONS OF THE VELJKOVIC FAMILY. THERE
IS CLEARLY ENOUGH LEGITIMATE DOUBT ABOUT THE CASE TO MAKE
ANY USG APPROACH TO THE YUGOSLAVS AN UNCERTAIN PROPOSI-
TION. END COMMENT. SCANLAN
ENO OF MESSAGE CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/10/24 :CIA-RDP90B01390R000700900141-8