27. 08. 2012

NIN EDITOR’S CLASH WITH POLICE

Belgrade, August 27, 2012 (Politika) - Representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs said yesterday that the technical editor of the weekly NIN Vladimir Piacun had been detained after attacking three unmarked police officers in Zorza Klemensoa Street in Belgrade, Tanjug reported.

The Deputy-Chief of Belgrade's Police Administration Office for control of legality in work Goran Milinkovic said at the press conference that on Friday, August 23, 2012, Piacun had first entered into verbal quarrel with the officers near Nebojsa Tower and then later physically attacked them in Zorza Klemensoa Street.

Piacun was ordered 48-hour police detention on Friday. Milinkovic said that according to the prosecutor's office, NIN editor would not be charged for assault on uniformed officer but rather for violent behavior. He also told media that two knives with 5 and 8 cm blades respectfully had been found in Piacun's handbag.

According to reporting, although the incident was obviously preceeded by a tiff in traffic or a traffic offence, the officers had, as witnesses claimed, used an excessive force.

Witnesses say that the journalist was not resisting the arrest, however, the bashing by the officers had continued even after Piacun was cuffed and pushed to the back of the police car for detention, says in UNS statement, conveyed by Beta.

Police Director Milorad Veljovic ordered yesterday the release of NIN editor Vladimir Piacun from police detention.