Filipovic: Seven directors to defend themselves while at liberty, proceedings continue

Attorney Jovana Filipovic stated that the directors of educational and healthcare institutions from the municipality of Gracanica have been released pending trial after the Basic Court in Pristina replaced their detention measure with an obligation to report regularly to a police station. Under the new measure, they will be required to report to the police every Monday and Friday.

“Today, the Department for Serious Crimes of the Basic Court in Pristina replaced the previously imposed detention measure for seven directors from the municipality of Gracanica with an obligation to report to a police station. This decision means that they have been released today and will defend themselves while at liberty,” Filipovic said, noting that she represents Mirjana Dimitrijevic, Director of the Gracanica Health Centre, in the proceedings.

She explained that they will be required to report to the police station every Monday and Friday at 10 a.m.

“They will continue to defend themselves while at liberty. The proceedings are continuing, but it is certainly good news that they have been released from detention,” Filipovic said.

According to her, detention is imposed too readily, a concern repeatedly raised by the defense attorneys.

“We repeatedly pointed out that detention is imposed too harshly in almost all cases. Whenever the prosecution requested it, that measure was generally granted. We argued that it was not appropriate and that the purpose could have been achieved through another, less restrictive measure. Unfortunately, at that stage the court did not heed our appeals, but later, following their questioning, the decision was changed as I have already described. I hope that in the future both courts and prosecutors will pay closer attention to how and under what circumstances this overly severe measure is imposed,” Filipovic emphasized.

Detention was lifted for Bratislav Lazic, Director of the Pristina Clinical Hospital Centre headquartered in Gracanica; Mirjana Dimitrijevic, Director of the Gracanica Health Centre; Sasa Mladenovic, Director of the Health Centre in Donja Gusterica; Milica Dimic, Director of the “Braca Aksic” Primary School in Lipljan; Ljubisa Karadžic, Director of the “Miladin Mitic” Primary School in Laplje Selo; Nebojsa Rasic, Director of the Mechanical Engineering School in Preoce; and Boban Petrovic, Director of the Electrical Engineering School in Susica.

The seven directors were detained on May 19 on suspicion of committing the criminal offense of “violating the free determination of voters.”

On May 21, the Basic Court in Pristina ordered their detention for a period of up to 30 days.

Since their arrest, their colleagues and employees of educational and healthcare institutions in central Kosovo have staged daily protests demanding their release.