05. 08. 2008

CHARGES BROUGHT AGAINST ATTACKERS ON B92 JOURNALISTS

Five persons suspected of participating in riots during Radicals' protest taken into custody

Belgrade, August 5, 2008 (Danas) – Third Municipal Prosecutor's Office brought criminal charges against Milan Savatovic, Stevan Milicevic and Nikola Lazic for their attack on B92 cameraman Bosko Brankovic during the protest by nationalist organizations and the Serbian Radical Party against the arrest of Radovan Karadzic, who was indicted by the Hague Tribunal.

An announcement by the Republic Prosecutor's Office states that they are charged with participating in the group violence on July 24 which had resulted in serious bodily injuries to the TV B92 cameraman. The Prosecutor's Office will ask for an extension of custody for all indictees. Milicevic and Lazic were arrested on July 26, while Savatovic's arrest followed a day later.

Savatovic was arrested in an apartment in Bulevar Umetnosti 35 in New Belgrade. Police search was made difficult after the publishing of his photograph in newspapers and television because Savatovic had thrown away all mobile phone cards, left his apartment and cut his hair to avoid recognition.
Investigative judge of the First Municipal Court in Belgrade decided to put the five suspects into 30-day custody because of their participation in Belgrade riots on July 29.

- After the examination of suspects, the investigative judge from the First Municipal Court decided to initiate investigation and put into custody Nikola Gajic, Nikola Ristic, Zoran Miskovic, Marko Lukic and Dusan Ososlija, confirmed today for Danas Ana Milosevic, the Court's spokeswoman.

In her words, they are suspected of criminal offense of participating in a group that has committed a criminal act. This criminal offense can be punished by imprisonment of between three months and five years. Milosevic points out that there is another case in the same Court related to the riots, within which Filip Tontic was examined. She said that Tontic's case is separate from the case of the five persons suspected of participating in riots.
 
- Tontic was suspected of assault on official person on duty, but he was not put into custody. The investigative judge initiated investigation against him because of assault on police officer – explains Milosevic.

The Republic Prosecutor's Office announced on Saturday that nine persons were arrested because of participation in riots in Belgrade during the protest against Karadzic's arrest.

The same Prosecutor's Office also states that the process of identification of perpetrators and their prosecution will continue. During the protest on the Republic Square, organized on July 29 by the Serbian Radical Party because of Karadzic's arrest, and after the end of the protest, groups of hooligans confronted the police at several locations in central Belgrade.

81 persons were injured in riots on the streets of Belgrade, 57 of them police officers.