The Prosecutor’s Office has a key and irreplaceable role in launching efficient and independent investigations when there is a well-founded suspicion that police officers have violated the prohibition of torture and inhuman treatment, YUCOM announced.
The Committee of Lawyers for Human Rights – YUCOM received information on Monday that several people were detained after the protest “See you on Vidovdan”, performed before public prosecutor, although they suffered serious injuries that made them unable to present a defense.
“The acting prosecutor’s office has ensured the referral of those detained to health centers, and we call on the public prosecutors to arrange for the detainees to be examined by forensic medicine specialists from the Institute of Forensic Medicine,” the Committee states.
It is also true that in cases where there is a well-founded suspicion that police officers have violated the prohibition of torture and inhumane treatment, the prosecution has a key and irreplaceable role in launching efficient and independent investigations.
YUCOM reminds that torture is a serious crime that must be severely punished, and the absence of a quick and decisive reaction sends a message of impunity and threatens the rule of law.
The Committee of Lawyers for Human Rights invited all citizens who witnessed the excessive use of force by police officers, and those who personally suffered violence, to contact them and share their experiences, according to the statement.