Helsinki Committee for Human Rights strongly condemned the behaviour of police officers in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina's southern region, who reportedly severely beaten a man the last weekend because he violated the epidemic restrictions. The organisation said this is yet another example that proves further reform and professionalisation of police structures is a necessity.
“We are shocked with the frightening violence by police officers who behaved in a completely unacceptable manner and inappropriate to police standards, and we expect the HNC Interior Ministry and competent police bodies to take all measures foreseen by law and remove from duty the perpetrators of this horrible act, which damages already a low degree of trust of citizens to the police and judicial bodies,” the Helsinki Committee said.
The reaction comes days after the video showing disturbing content appeared on online media outlets and social networks. Reportedly, the incident took place Saturday night in the southern city of Mostar and the man who was beaten and whose identity was not unveiled asked for medical assistance at the Mostar University Clinical Hospital.
The Helsinki Committee asked the prosecutor in charge to immediately react and urged all institutions and organisations protecting human rights to condemn this “heinous act.”
“Numerous examples show, and this one has proved it, that further reform and professionalisation of police structures is a necessity as well as strictest sanctioning of all those police officers who break the law and perform their work unprofessionally,” the organisation added.
