TI BiH: Criminal charges against police officers for repression of members of the Justice for David group

TI BiH filed a criminal complaint against several police officers from the recordings on suspicion that they committed a more serious form of the criminal offense of Violation of Equality of Citizens by abusing their authority, for which a prison sentence of six months to five years is envisaged.

Banja Luka, 18. June 2019 – Police authorities in Republika Srpska have continued to persecute members of the informal group of citizens Justice for David (PZD), who are now defending not only freedom of assembly, but also freedom of movement. Footage of police officers dispersing PZD members in front of and around a temple in Banja Luka has upset the public and is an example of gross violations of basic human rights and freedoms.

Transparency International in BiH (TI BiH) has filed a criminal complaint against several police officers from the footage on suspicion of abusing their powers and committing a more serious form of the crime of Violation of Citizens’ Equality, punishable by six months to five years in prison.. Login was filed after several citizens shared their testimonies and evidence of police misconduct. TI BiH appeals to all institutions to investigate the circumstances of the new bans and allegations of human rights violations against members of the PZD group as soon as possible, reminding that the institutions have not yet investigated the allegations from the December events.

Members of the PZD group have been defending their freedom of assembly and expression for a long time, and allegations of violations of their rights when brought to police premises, as well as excessive use of force by police officers, have been reported in the past. The District Public Prosecutor’s Office in Banja Luka has not yet decided on the criminal report of TI BiH from December last year, when police officers were reported for excessive use of force on Krajina Square against several citizens who protested peacefully.

Press rls – 06/18/2019

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