Jasmina Paunovic (BETAPHOTO/MILAN OBRADOVIC)
The former prosecutor of the Higher Public Prosecution in Belgrade, Jasmina Paunovic, stated on July 9 that, by implementing repressive measures against students and citizens, the police were abandoning the constitutional and legal framework.
Paunovic told BETA that particular police units, instead of contributing to the protection of public order and peace, resort to prohibited actions and themselves violate public order and peace during peaceful rallies. “Their behavior, if indeed they are the police and not some para-police formation, is mandated by law to be in the public interest, by protecting public order and peace. The basic and mandatory action of police officers is guided by the principles of respect of human rights, equal protection of security, rights and liberties, by implementing the law and the constitutional principle of the rule of law,” she said.
In Paunovic’s words, the police often abuse and torture people, for which the penalty is up to ten years in prison. She warned that abuse of police authority was prohibited not just by national legislation, but also by international conventions banning abuse and torture and the European Convention on Human Rights and Liberties.
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