Dear Mr. Milutinović,

In accordance with the Media Act, HRA expects You to publish it’s response to the articles “There is no trace of Butterfly, the fear still rules” (”Od Leptira ni traga, strah i dalje vlada”) from 31 January 2013, and “The Ministry is silent about the homeless” (Ministarstvo ćuti o beskućniku”) from 1 February 2013, to be published.

HRA believes that the publication of the response, intended to correct and supplement with arguments statements in the published articles, is in the interest of the public to be fully informed. In short, HRA response aspires to provide care, as soon as possible, for Dragan Stojanović, whom you mentioned in the articles we referred to, and not to provoke attack on him.

In the articles ” There is no trace of the Butterfly, the fear still rules” from 01 January 2013, and “The ministry is silent about the homeless” from 01 February 2013, ”Dan” published that Dragan Stojanović “threatened children with strangling and then he rushed at them”, that he “attacked children” as well as that he is “mentally ill person”.

To HRA knowledge, Dragan did not attack or rush at children. If he had done it, the police would have apprehended him immediately. It was a verbal incident. He inappropriately responded to a situation, which he experienced as an insult and provocation. To date HRA has no information that he has been subject to a criminal or misdemeanour proceeding. It is not known that he ever assaulted anyone.

Second, Dragan Stojanović is not mentally ill person, but person with intellectual disability due to which he previously spent seven years in the social institution “Komanski most.”

Dragan does not reside at the homeless shelter anymore, nor, as far as we know, he goes to the neighbourhood where it is located. HRA still insists from the relevant state institutions for social welfare to ensure proper care for Dragan and to that end HRA has done everything in its power, as it is known to the Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, and the Minister of Human Rights.

Publishing a large font title “There is no trace of Butterfly, the fear still rules”, his full name and surname, large format photo, and misinformation that this is mentally ill person, we believe that “Dan” put Dragan in danger by presenting him as a person dangerous to the environment from whom one should be defended.  This could lead to a campaign against him, even by persons who do not know him and who have nothing to do with the incident.

Therefore, HRA wants to announce to the public its attitude that Dragan Stojanović is not a monster from whom everyone should be afraid of, but person who needs proper care by the relevant state institutions.

HRA hopes that media attention, given to this case by Daily Dan, will be a reason for Dragan to be taken care of as soon as possible, and not attacked.

Dragan visited us in the office today when we made the above-posted photo.