Lawyer Marko Pantić, who represents law student Mihailo Mladenović, who died in detention from November 5, when it was held big protest in Novi Sad, says for "Vreme" that she caused real anxiety among the citizens of Serbia the tragedy of the collapsed canopy and the death of innocent people, not the protests that followed.
"I represent Mihailo Mladenović, a 20-year-old student of the Faculty of Law in Novi Sad. He has no criminal record and is a second-year student. He has an average of 9.25. Those judges who put him in custody did so because he threw two stones at the Town Hall as a result of the revolt, while the masked persons who smashed the windows and cameras with sticks were not even invited to an informative interview, let alone put in custody. or that they have been prosecuted," says Pantić.
He adds that Mladenović was accused of throwing stones in the direction of the City Hall in Novi Sad, and specifies that the damage to the building of that institution is estimated at 1,3 million euros.
"On the same day, the authorities calculated that the material damage was 1,3 million euros, which is complete nonsense." And even if he participated and did everything he is charged with, according to my deep conviction, he cannot be accused of the gravest form of that crime. "His actions may have caused damage of up to 100 euros, and the question is whether the damage is that much," notes Pantić.
Disputed custody
According to him, it is highly disputed that Mladenović was ordered to be detained because of points 3 and 4.
"Point 3 is about being careful not to repeat the act." The most controversial thing about this is that there is no fear of Mladenović repeating the act, because the Code of Criminal Procedure clearly states that 'a person who is proposed to be detained shall not be ordered to be detained if the purpose of detention can be achieved with a milder measure'. In this case, he is charged with breaking up a public meeting and in order not to repeat the alleged act, he was ordered to be detained. The same purpose could be achieved with a milder measure, the so-called house arrest. If Mihailo is in his apartment, he can't participate in any gathering," Pantić points out.
Speaking about point 4, for which Mladenović was also detained, he considers it "particularly scandalous".
"He is also ordered to be detained because of disturbing the public." It is used in judicial practice when dealing with the most serious crimes, murders or rapes... And it is some strange relic where the accused is defended. They defend him by putting him in custody, so that the injured person's angry mother-in-law does not lynch him. And in this particular case, it is not clear how Mladenović upset the public. Our opinion, legally and common sense, is that the public is upset because of the tragedy that happened when the canopy fell and killed 15 people and seriously injured two, and not because someone participated in a protest about it," explains Pantić.
