Defense requests termination of Vesna Medenica's detention, files constitutional appeal

The defense of former Supreme Court President Vesna Medenica has filed a constitutional appeal requesting the annulment of the decisions of the High and Appellate Courts on the extension of her detention, as well as for the Constitutional Court to determine that these decisions violated her rights to liberty and a fair trial within a reasonable time.

This was confirmed to "Vijesti" by her lawyer Zdravko Begović, stating that a constitutional appeal has been filed due to, as he claims, an unfounded extension of detention.

He said that the defense believes that there are no longer any circumstances that would justify Medenica's continued detention, especially considering the duration of that measure and the course of the proceedings.

"We pointed out to the Constitutional Court that her fundamental rights were violated, primarily the right to freedom and a fair trial within a reasonable time," said Begović.

He added that, according to the defense, the courts did not adequately explain the extension of detention.

"Detention cannot last indefinitely without specific reasons justifying it," he pointed out.

Begović emphasized that there are milder measures that could ensure the defendant's presence in the proceedings, and that there is no danger of escape or influence on witnesses.

At the end of January this year, Medenica was sentenced in the first instance to ten years in prison, along with a fine of 50.000 euros, because, according to the verdict, she had illegally influenced her fellow judges on several occasions.

After pronouncing the verdict, Judge Vesna Kovačević ordered her to undergo supervision measures - a ban on leaving Kolašin and the temporary seizure of her passport, which were valid until the decision became final.

However, after an appeal by the Special State Prosecutor's Office, Medenica was sent back to the Spuž Remand Prison a month later, on February 28th.

The High Court previously announced that the decision to detain her was also made due to circumstances related to her son Miloš Medenica, who is on the run to avoid serving the remaining ten and a half years in prison, to which he was sentenced for organizing a criminal group and cigarette smuggling.

The defense, however, states in the constitutional appeal that the fact that her son is unavailable to the competent authorities should not be the key reason for ordering or extending the detention of the former President of the Supreme Court.