The Banja Luka District Public Prosecutor's Office filed an indictment against four members of the local police force for allegedly abusing their position and the wrongful detention of Bruno Batinic, a Swedish national who was beaten by police at a protest of the ‘Justice for David’ group in June 2019.

The four suspects are the commander of Banja Luka’s Center Polie Station, Vladan Sikuljak, his assistant Miso Volf, for the criminal offence of Abuse of Official Position or Authorization, as well as officers Dejan Novic and Enis Musanovic for the criminal offence of Violation of Human Dignity by Abuse of Official Position or Authority and wrongful imprisonment.

The incident, which took place on June 20, 2019, occurred during a police crackdown on the ‘Justice for David’ Group, which staged a protest in central Banja Luka over the still unresolved 2018 death of 21-year-old David Dragicevic.

Batinic said he was beaten in the police car and in the station, which left him with head and neck injuries.

Police at the time denied any wrongdoing.