OSCE Mission: Any decision to reinstate officers, and the grounds for it, are for Police Inspectorate and Prosecution to explain

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo is aware that two police officers who had been suspended on suspicion of involvement in the alleged beating of Serb Nenad Raskovic have returned to duty, but says that any decision to reinstate officers, as well as the grounds for such a decision, are matters for the Kosovo Police Inspectorate and the Prosecution to explain.

“The OSCE Mission in Kosovo is aware of media reports that two Kosovo Police officers who had previously been suspended over allegations of mistreatment of Nenad Raskovic have returned to duty. The Mission understands that the Police Inspectorate has completed its investigation and submitted its final report to the Prosecution,” the Mission said in response to a question from Kosovo Online regarding the decision to reinstate the two suspended officers at the police station in North Mitrovica.

The OSCE Mission said that an ex officio investigation by the Ombudsperson was ongoing and that it was in contact with that institution regarding the matter.

“Any decision to reinstate the officers, as well as the grounds for doing so, are matters for the Police Inspectorate and the Prosecution to explain. The Mission trusts that such decisions are consistent with the values and standards of conduct expected of police officers serving all communities,” the response added.

Erduan Baljici, Head of the Operational Planning and Assessment Unit, confirmed to Kosovo Online yesterday that the two officers, who had previously been suspended on suspicion of involvement in the alleged beating of Nenad Raskovic from the village of Dren near Zubin Potok, had returned to duty.

“The suspension previously imposed by the Kosovo Police Inspectorate has expired. For any additional information, you must contact the KPI in Pristina,” Baljici said.

Nenad Raskovic, a Serb from the village of Dren, was seriously injured on August 11 after, according to his account, he was beaten by Kosovo Police officers.

Raskovic was admitted to the Clinical Hospital Center in Kosovska Mitrovica but, due to the severity of his injuries, was transferred to the Clinical Center of Serbia in Belgrade for treatment.

Following his allegations, the Kosovo Police Inspectorate opened an ex officio investigation and subsequently recommended that the Kosovo Police suspend two officers from the Regional Police Directorate in North Mitrovica on suspicion of the criminal offense of “mistreatment in the exercise of official duties or public authority.”