Prominent Serbian human rights activist dies at 58

BELGRADE, Serbia – BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Biljana Kovacevic Vuco, one of Serbia's most prominent human rights activists, has died. She was 58.

Kovacevic Vuco, who played an important role in Serbia's fledgling human rights and anti-war movement during the 1990s rule of late strongman Slobodan Milosevic, died Tuesday after a long illness, said YUCOM, the group she headed.

Serbia's human rights groups were a rare voice of opposition in the former Yugoslavia against the ethnic bloodshed fomented by Milosevic's nationalism.

Kovacevic Vuco was also a prominent critic of Milosevic's autocratic policies at home. As a legal expert, she headed YUCOM, which offered legal assistance to the victims of abuse.

She leaves behind two sons.