Otasevic: We were subjected to physical and psychological abuse by police following our detention at Gazimestan

Damjan Otasevic of Montenegro, one of the individuals detained after the memorial service at Gazimestan, has alleged that he was subjected to physical and psychological abuse by members of the Kosovo Police during his arrest and transport to the police station.

Speaking to the media, Otasevic said that, after the memorial service had ended, a plainclothes police inspector approached him, grabbed him by the arm and forced him into a police vehicle, where his hands were handcuffed.

"I told him that the handcuffs were too tight and that they were hurting me. He tightened them even more and asked whether they were okay now. I knew what was coming, so I remained silent," Otasevic said.

He further claimed that during the drive to the police station he was subjected to insults and psychological intimidation, while one member of the Special Police Unit struck him several times.

"While my hands were cuffed behind my back, he slapped me repeatedly, first on one side of my face and then on the other, saying, 'Come back to Kosovo again.' I told him that I would come back. He also kept saying, 'So, you want to sing?' I stayed silent because I did not want to be subjected to further abuse," Otasevic said.

He also alleged that every time the police vehicle braked, the officer attempted to strike him below the waist with his knee.

"And each time he would smile at me mockingly. There was also psychological abuse—they kept saying, 'You people are like this, you people are like that,' and making similar remarks," he said.

Otasevic added that there were four other detainees in the police vehicle, including younger men whom he claims were also subjected to abuse.

"They particularly beat one young man who may have weighed only 60 or 70 kilograms, while a member of the Special Police Unit, who was nearly two metres tall, repeatedly slapped him," Otasevic said.

He stated that he had tried to identify the police officer who allegedly abused him, but that the officer's uniform bore no visible identification number, only a police insignia.

"One young man managed to write it down. He had returned to pick up his sister, who had also been detained, and they arrested him as well. He recorded several badge numbers," Otasevic said.

Earlier today, the detainees were fined €700. Those who do not possess Kosovo-issued identity documents were expelled from Kosovo and banned from re-entering the territory for the next three years.