New decision pending: Court did not provide sufficient arguments for detention of police officers

SARAJEVO, (Patria) – After the appeal of the defense attorneys for the police officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Sarajevo Canton Police Directorate, who were ordered into one-month detention on August 14, was accepted, lawyer Lejla Čović confirmed for Patria that a decision has been made on the defense attorneys' appeals, and that these appeals have been partially accepted.

“The decision ordering detention has been returned for reconsideration,” Čović said.

She could not provide further details, but according to Patria's information, the first-instance decision ordering detention was overturned because the first-instance court did not provide clear and concrete reasons why the suspected police officers should be detained. Detention was ordered solely on the basis of hypothetical assumptions that they would influence potential witnesses and thus jeopardize the investigation.

The appeal was also accepted regarding the part related to ordering detention due to the danger of re-offending, because the court did not provide sufficient reasons related to the personal circumstances of the suspects themselves, considering that they are not individuals prone to committing criminal offenses.

Finally, the appeal was accepted because the court did not provide sufficient explanation as to why alternative measures, such as prohibition orders, could not be imposed on the detained police officers instead of detention.

A new decision from the pre-trial judge is now expected, and it is to be handled urgently.