In 2018, we leave unresolved brutal murders of two children and two police officers

By: Amra Varatanović

---

On the last day of 2018, we are accompanied by news of the disappearance of Davor Dragičević, the father of the murdered 21-year-old David Dragičević, whose lifeless body was found on March 24 this year in the Crkvena river in Banja Luka. From that day until today, a furious struggle for the truth about the young man's death, his murderers, masterminds, and accomplices has been ongoing. Neither daily protests, nor staying at Krajina Square, nor mass gatherings, nor the world public that closely followed this case have helped to uncover the truth.

Instead, the authorities in Banja Luka decided to confront the father, family, citizens, and activists by arresting them for expressing their dissatisfaction. The citizens' revolt, which is growing, could not be suppressed even by the repressive measures of the RS police. Due to protests in Banja Luka, one concert, then another, and then the public New Year's Eve celebration at Krajina Square were cancelled. At the same time, there is no trace of Davor Dragičević since last night at 11 PM when the police arrested participants of the gathering. A warrant has been issued for him, and all gatherings of Justice for David have been banned.

On the other hand, a peaceful protest walk "Justice for Dženan" was held in Sarajevo last night, led by the young man's father Muriz Memić and sister Arijana. For almost three years, the Memić family has been seeking the truth about the young man's death and the manner in which he sustained a head injury on the night of February 8, 2016. To make the tragedy greater, the truth is unknown even though Dženan was not alone but in the company of his girlfriend Alisa Mutap. This summer, the trial for the alleged traffic accident ended with an acquittal. The court determined that there was no evidence that a traffic accident had occurred at all. The court did not accept the expert testimony which determined amnesia in Alisa Mutap. One of the demands of the Memić family, presented last night by Muriz Memić, is the arrest of Alisa Mutap. He also demanded the resignation of police commissioner Mevludin Halilović, the arrest of chief cantonal prosecutor Dalida Burzić, and that the case be fully taken over by the State Prosecutor's Office. The Memić and Dragičević families also received support from ambassadors of European Union countries. In both cases, both the police and the judiciary failed.

At the end of this year, the murder of two Sarajevo police officers in late October this year in the Sarajevo neighborhood of Alipašino Polje remains unsolved. They were killed while performing their duty. They were brutally liquidated in a police car. Dozens of searches and arrests, and three suspects who are in custody, were not enough to uncover the murderers of Adis Šehović and Davor Vujinović. No one wants to talk about the investigation conducted by the Sarajevo Prosecutor's Office. Silence has also fallen within the police structures themselves. A police officer's life is at stake every day. The silence about the investigation itself raises a number of questions and casts doubt on the real motives for their liquidation.

And while the truth is being awaited in these three cases and four lost lives, no person in the chain of responsibility and within their jurisdiction has considered themselves responsible to resign, at least for human and moral reasons.