Prosecutor's Office of Sarajevo Canton denies Ajanović: Faruk Balijagić was arrested in Rijeka, imposed restrictive measures

The Prosecutor's Office of Sarajevo Canton, for the purpose of truthful information, informs the public that this institution has been officially notified by the County Court in Rijeka that on May 12, 2016, Faruk Balijagić was arrested based on an international arrest warrant, it was announced from the Prosecutor's Office of Sarajevo Canton, reports the Patria News Agency.

By the decision of the investigating judge of the County Court in Rijeka, restrictive measures were imposed on Faruk Balijagić, namely, a ban on leaving his residence in Opatija and an obligation to report regularly to the Opatija Police Station once a week.

This Prosecutor's Office denies the claims of the lawyer from Tuzla, Mirnes Ajanović, who claimed that Balijagić was not arrested and that, as he stated, his client appeared before the investigating judge in Rijeka due to a submitted request to the State Attorney's Office of Croatia and the Ministry of Justice of that country to be tried in Croatia for the case that is being conducted against him and his son Ado Balijagić at the Prosecutor's Office of Sarajevo Canton, the statement reads.

Lawyer Faruk Balijagić, accused of incitement to commit criminal offenses, including murder, fled to Croatia on April 4. His son Ado is also accused along with him. Balijagić also has Croatian citizenship and several properties in that country. The Prosecutor's Office of Sarajevo Canton therefore requested that at least restrictive measures be imposed.

Faruk Balijagić and his son Ado were arrested on September 15 last year, and the indictment against them was confirmed on December 9. Their detention was lifted on January 4, which the Prosecutor's Office of Sarajevo Canton appealed.