Miloš Subotić, a resident of North Mitrovica, has made a chilling statement following an alleged assault by police officers, whom he says beat him during a late-night detention at the North Mitrovica Police Station. Expressing deep concern for his safety and that of his family, he declared, “If anything happens to me, I blame the Kosovo government and Kosovo Police.”
Subotić recounts that he was detained just after midnight near the main bridge over the Ibar River, having allegedly simply moved some bags on the promenade, next to a store, so he and his wife could pass. Moments later, police officers stationed nearby stopped him.
A legal professional, Subotić complied, putting his hands behind his back without resistance, yet he claims the officers never explained why he was being detained.
“They didn’t tell me why I was being detained, not on the street and not even once I was at the station,” Subotić told local news outlet KoSSev.
According to Subotić, the ordeal worsened once he was brought to the station. He claims officers led him to a room without surveillance cameras, where he alleges that two officers – their badge numbers concealed – began physically assaulting him while he was handcuffed.
“I was handcuffed, my hands behind my back. One officer started slapping me. I counted eight slaps. Then he kicked my knee, punched me in the chest, and I hit my head against the wall,” Subotić recounted.
Even while restrained, Subotić says, the officers attempted to force an alcohol-testing device into his mouth, resulting in a cut on his lip.
After detaining him for several hours, they presented him with a document written in Albanian, which he refused to sign. “They knew I couldn’t understand it, so I refused to sign,” he explained.
After his release, Subotić immediately went to the Kosovo Mitrovica Health Center, where he says medical staff documented his injuries.
“They noted all the injuries I complained of,” he said, adding that he was suffering from pain in his knee, a split lip, ringing in his ears, and neck pain from the alleged blows.
“I am concerned for the safety of myself and my family,” Subotić stated. Despite the trauma, he has chosen to pursue the matter, pledging to submit a complaint to the Kosovo Police Inspectorate and the Ombudsman.
“I’ll write an email and send them all the medical documentation from the hospital. I want to see this through and bring the truth to light,” he vowed.
Subotić’s determination for justice, however, has been shadowed by a loss of faith in the police. “I no longer trust the Kosovo Police. After what happened, I’m living in fear of what could happen next,” he said.
The Kosovo Police, meanwhile, denied allegations of abuse, claiming that Subotić had been damaging municipal property. However, they also encouraged him to report the incident if he wished to pursue it.
““How am I supposed to report being beaten to the same place where I was beaten?” Subotić questioned, adding that, “If anything happens to me or my family, I will hold the Kosovo government and Kosovo Police responsible.”
Mitrovica Resident Alleges Police Abuse After Detention Incident; Kosovo Police Deny Claims
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
