The European Union (EU) Delegation and the EU Special Representative office said they are closely following the events in Banja Luka, concerning the ‘Justice for David’ movement. The EU Delegation stressed the importance of due process as well as the right to justice.
“We have been closely following over the recent days the events in Banja Luka surrounding the protests by the “Justice for David” movement. The right to assemble peacefully, together with freedom of expression, is essential for any functioning democratic society,” the EU Delegation said. “We note the clarifications provided by the Republika Srpska Ministry of Interior after the recent arrests and underline in this respect the importance of due process, as well as the right to justice.”
Police officers detained several people during the Sunday protest and blamed the members of the ‘Justice for David’ group for disrupting a concert that was supposed to take place by damaging the equipment. The protest gathered some 3,000 people who demanded the truth about David Dragicevic’s death.
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David Dragicevic was murdered in March 2018, and initially, police said that he had taken drugs and drowned in a nearby river. This explanation sparked public outrage and angered the young man’s father who swore he would pursue justice no matter what.
His father, Davor Dragicevic, however, believes police is covering up the murder and protecting some politically connected suspects.
The EU Delegation noted they will continue to closely monitor the situation and, in particular, the ongoing investigation and its judicial follow-up.
Police banned all future gatherings of the ‘Justice for David’ group due to “continuous disturbances of public order and peace” and continues to search for its organisers, including Davor Dragicevic who is currently nowhere to be found.
