Four young Serbian men, arrested in early September on charges of insulting and assaulting a police officer in North Mitrovica, will remain under house arrest for another month. The extension was confirmed by lawyer, Miloš Delević, who announced plans to appeal the decision, citing no risk of flight.
The accused — identified by their initials as R.N. (born 2004), L.K. (2005), V.J. (2003), and M.M. (2005) — have been under house arrest since mid-September.
Delević emphasized that his clients have complied with all court-ordered measures and posed no flight risk, challenging the court’s rationale for the extended detention.
„We will appeal the decision to extend the house arrest. There is no risk of flight as claimed by the first-instance court. They fully respected the terms of their house arrest and have not attempted to flee,“ Delević briefly commented.
Allegations of Police Misconduct
The case has sparked considerable public attention, not only for the alleged assault on a police officer but also due to complaints from the accused regarding their treatment during and after the arrest. Following these claims, Kosovo’s Police Inspectorate (PIK) launched an investigation into the officers involved.
The incident occurred on September 10, when the four young men were arrested for allegedly insulting and attacking a police officer in Mitrovica’s pedestrian area. However, videos circulated on social media showed the arrest taking place several hundred meters away from the promenade. Some witnesses claimed that the young men were beaten before and during their arrest.
At least one of the accused was reportedly subjected to physical abuse by police officers, according to statements made at the time by Delević. Deputy Ombudsman Srđan Sentić also raised concerns, stating that the case showed signs of human rights violations and inhumane treatment by the police.
Kosovo Police have denied the allegations of abuse, maintaining that they are authorized to use force if a suspect resists arrest.
Public Outcry and Investigation
Following the arrests, the young men were initially held for 48 hours before being placed under house arrest for one month.
The arrests triggered a protest by hundreds of citizens outside the police station in North Mitrovica. Representatives from civil society and political groups joined the demonstration, demanding the release of the detainees.
On September 19, the four men were questioned by the Kosovo Police Inspectorate in relation to the ongoing investigation into the conduct of the officers involved in their arrest.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
