HRA: We protest against Knežević's decision to dismiss for the third time the complaint against 10 police officers for torturing Grujicic

Action for Human Rights (HRA) announced today that it is protesting against the decision of the primary state prosecutor in Podgorica, Maja Knežević, to dismiss for the third time the criminal charges against all 10 reported police officers for torturing Jovan Grujičić in May 2020.

"Grujičić was under the authority of those officers at the Podgorica Security Center on May 26, 2020, when it was confirmed by medical findings that he had been tortured. Grujičić was then forced to falsely accuse himself of planting explosive devices at the house of state security officer Duško Golubović and the bar" Grand". In the meantime, the court legally acquitted him of charges for planting explosives, finding that they were also based on a forced statement," the HRA press release points out.

The non-governmental organization (NGO) added that they believe that the third decision to dismiss the criminal complaint is the result of an ineffective investigation.

"We expect the Supreme State Prosecutor's Office to take over the case from the ODT (Basic State Prosecutor's Office) in Podgorica and finally ensure respect for human rights. There has been no progress in this case for almost three years, although torture in the police has been proven, and it has attracted the attention of international organizations and foreign embassies which in the meantime appealed for the implementation of an urgent, independent and thorough investigation. In two other related cases, for the torture of Marko Boljević and Benjamin Mugoša, five police officers were indicted, of which inspector Dalibor Ljekočević was accused of torturing both persons, and subsequently was arrested on suspicion of dealing in drug trafficking. However, none of the alleged leaders, who led the action against all three injured parties, was charged," the statement reads.

The HRA said that in a letter to the new acting Supreme State Prosecutor, Tatjana Begović, and the head of the Higher State Prosecutor's Office in Podgorica, Lepoja Medenica, HRA Executive Director Tea Gorjanc Prelević requested that the Supreme State Prosecutor's Office or one of the higher state prosecutors take over the investigation in this case. prosecutor's office.

"In a country where proven police torture remains unpunished, it cannot be considered that there is a rule of law. Hiding the torturer Jovan Grujičić is devastating for the State Prosecutor's Office and the Police Directorate of Montenegro and the Ministry of Internal Affairs," said Gorjanc-Prelević.

The HRA said that in the case in which there is evidence that the injured party was a victim of police abuse in May 2020, i.e. almost three years ago, no investigation has been opened to date, but the case is in the investigation phase against unknown persons.

"Investigation actions have been carried out so far by three state prosecutors from the Basic State Prosecutor's Office in Podgorica. The last in the series, state prosecutor Maja Knežević, has so far rejected the criminal charges against all reported police officers three times. State Prosecutor Željko Tomković, from the Higher State Prosecutor's Office in Podgorica, acting on the complaint of the injured party's lawyer, has so far twice assessed that the prosecutor Knežević unfoundedly rejected the criminal complaint. Both times he ordered her to fully establish the facts of this case, and then make a fair and legal decision. However, on 13 on February 2023 and rejected the criminal complaint for the third time, although the facts of this case are still not established," HRA said.

They said that in the investigation of the "bomb attacks" three people were abused, which, as they add from the HRA, must have been planned and very likely done by the same police officers, who had the same superiors.

"These cases were investigated to a limited extent, as individual cases, while ignoring the common, broader picture. This, among other things, led to the fact that in relation to all suspects for extorting statements from Grujičić, criminal charges were continuously rejected, while for extorting statements from Marko Boljević and Benjamin Mugoša were accused by police officers who were also reported for abusing Grujičić," the HRA press release reads.

The NGO also states that one and the same police officer, Dalibor Ljekočević, who was accused of abusing both Marko Boljević and Benjamin Mugoša, was included in the report that he abused Grujičić.

"He is currently in custody for drug trafficking. In addition to Ljekočević, state prosecutor Romina Vlahović charged four more inspectors of the Police Administration, Bojan Vujačić, Nemanja Vujošević, Ivan Peruničić and Danilo Grbović, for extorting a statement from Boljević. The first three accused of abusing Boljević they were also reported for torturing Grujičić, and they confirmed that they interrogated him, however, state prosecutor Knežević rejected the report against all of them," the HRA statement reads.

They also said that Miloš Vučinić, the former head of the Security Department of the Criminal Police in CB Podgorica, and Srđan Korać, the current head of the Criminal Police Station for the Suppression of Blood Offenses and Domestic Violence, were on the list of suspects for the criminal complaint for the torture of Grujičić, as well as inspectors Vukašin Leković. , Dalibor Ljekočević, Bojan Vujačić, Nemanja Vujošević, Radoman Vujičić, Miodrag Jovović, Ivan Peruničić and Ljubisav Striković.

"According to the written documentation, they dealt with Grujičić and his case on the day when he was tortured in CB Podgorica. The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, who communicated with the Montenegrin authorities on this occasion, was also informed about this case, as well as the Committee against Torture, which expressed concern in the concluding remarks and appealed that all reports of police abuse be effectively investigated. The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture was also informed, which has not yet published a report on the last visit to Montenegro. This case was followed by the European Commission, as well as the embassies of Great Britain and The US also expressed concern and called for an effective investigation. Jovan Grujičić is represented by lawyer Damir Lekić, within the HRA program for the protection of torture victims, which is financially supported by the UN Fund for Victims of Torture (UNVFVT)," the HRA statement concluded.