Photo: AP Photo/Darko VojinovicNo evidence, meaningless accusations and psychological tricks - this is how the lawyers of the riot suspects in front of the Belgrade Assembly comment for "Vreme" on the actions of the Prosecutor's Office. Some citizens pleaded guilty to avoid prison, others were released under house arrest
Seven suspects for participating in the riots in front of the City Assembly on Sunday pleaded guilty, the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office announced on Wednesday.
Of these, three signed a confession that they had committed the criminal act of violent behavior at a public meeting, and four that they came and called for the violent "destruction of the constitutional order".
All of them agreed to suspended prison terms and fines of ten to twenty thousand dinars, the Prosecutor's Office announced.
Twenty people were questioned on Tuesday, while, according to "Vremen" information, twenty more should be questioned on Wednesday.
Of the thirteen questioned on Tuesday, who did not confess to the crime, eleven were requested to be detained. However, as the lawyers of some of them stated for "Vreme", the judge for the preliminary proceedings still did not order detention for all of them.
As Ivan Ninić, the lawyer of a 21-year-old man who was released to house arrest without an anklet, tells us, the prosecution has nothing for his client except the testimony of two police officers who allegedly saw him throwing an oyster.
Elsewhere, the evidence is different and depends mainly on the quality of the footage, informed sources told Vreme. In many cases there is no evidence that someone personally threw the oyster, it is just seen in a group of people.
From photography to detention
The client of the lawyer Marko Pantić was also placed under house arrest. Pantić describes the "evidence" against him for "Vreme".
"They have three photos of him with a pole in his hand - the pole that had the flag on it and it fell down." There is no recording of anything else. They arrested him when he left the meeting, they were unnecessarily violent towards him, they beat him even though he raised his hands."
"I think that there were a lot of members of the security services in civilian clothes at the meeting who were filming people and that they arrested all the people for whom they had any footage that showed something - pushing at the exit door, oysters or a pole in hand," says Pantić. .
He describes the "absurd situation" that the official of the Movement of Free Citizens, Vojislav Ostojić, is suspected of violently subverting state order. Ostojić was arrested on Tuesday morning.
"He was recorded pushing himself in front of the door of the City Assembly for a few seconds in the crowd." What kind of calling for the overthrow of the constitutional order is this - pushing in the crowd?" asks Pantić.
Psychological tricks
"Vremen" interlocutors agree that "packaging" a serious crime is a way to scare people into custody and force them to confess their guilt. And all that was dictated by the top of the state.
Ninic explains that the fact that the prosecution requested 30 days of detention forced many to agree to a plea agreement and go home.
"It is tragic that from this comes agreements in which people admit something they could not possibly do, such as calling for the overthrow of the constitutional order," says Ninic.
"The defendant chooses a faster way out of a difficult situation because he is threatened with detention," he adds. "The prosecution uses that psychological trick, so people agree under pressure, often in agreement with the family."
The president said what he expects from the prosecution
Marko Pantić says that there were no legal grounds for detention, but that he was only a means of pressure. "Especially because the top of the government and the tabloids declared that these people are terrorists," he adds.
Ninić says that Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić practically dictated to the prosecutors what he expected from them. Thus, alleged acts that are usually prosecuted as misdemeanors - such as throwing oysters - have reached the point of allegedly subverting the constitutional order, which is punishable by a prison sentence of up to five years.
"At the press conference, the president of the state suggested to the prosecutor's office what he expected - and he himself qualified the actions of the demonstrators as 'serious crimes.' Then it is clear to the prosecutors what the top of the state wants the judiciary to deliver," Ninic says.
The threat of detention should have shown repression, says our interlocutor. "For the state to intimidate citizens, especially younger ones." To break their spirit, affect their families and direct psychological warfare against anyone who would dare to go out into the street and raise their voice."
Who all pleaded guilty
As announced on Tuesday by the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office, four suspects - Zoran M. (68), Srđan S. (36), Nikola V. (32) and Marko R. (38) concluded agreements on the recognition of the criminal offense of violent behavior at a public meeting in connection with the criminal act, calling for a violent change of the constitutional arrangement.
They received conditional prison sentences of six months with a two-year probationary period and a fine of 20.000 dinars, that is, Marko R. a fine of 10.000 dinars.
Relja Đ. (18), Luka Š. (23) and Vojislav O. (48) concluded agreements on the recognition of the criminal offense of Violent behavior at a sports event and public gathering to suspended prison sentences of 3 months with a probationary period of one year and fines of 20.000 and 10.000 dinars, it is stated in announcement of VJT.
According to the prosecution, the detention of the two suspects, Milica M. (37) and Stefan M. (19), was lifted and they were released to defend themselves in the further course of the proceedings.
After the hearing, the prosecution proposed to the judge for preliminary proceedings of the High Court in Belgrade to order detention for the 11 suspects, so that they do not repeat the criminal offense in a short period of time.
In the announcement, it is noted that detention was proposed for Stanoj Š. (45), Andreja R. (18), Gojka D. (36), Dimitrija R. (19), Pantu J. (54), Dimitrija P. (21), Branislava T. (26), Slavomira R. ( 58), Mateja A. (39), Predraga P. (44), Sašu D. (54).
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