E/CN.4/2001/66
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compulsory means against Nicola Miletić, who had disturbed the public order by playing too
loud music and exceeding the working hours of the coffee-bar. He was warned repeatedly by the
police and insulted the officers. He resisted and physical force was used against him, including
means of restraint. When he complained about pains in his shoulders after he had been taken
into custody, two police officers facilitated a medical examination in the ambulance of the
Dubrovnik General Hospital. After the medical examination, a doctor informed the police
officers that Nikola Miletić did not have any physical injuries, so he was returned to the police
station. He was taken into detention at 1.15 a.m. on 29 October 1999 and released at 12.45 p.m.
His father was informed about his arrest at 1.29 a.m. He refused to sign the official report on the
detention. The official report on the use of compulsory means in this case was sent to the
Ministry of the Interior, and a request to start misdemeanour proceedings against Nikola Miletić
was submitted. On 16 November 1999, Nikola Miletić brought criminal charges against six
members of the Special Police Unit on the basis of “maltreatment while performing duty or
mandates”, attaching a medical certificate confirming that he had come to the ambulance on
29 October 1999 at 1.45 p.m. and then again at 3.10 p.m. the same day, and that he was slightly
physically injured (struck on the head, right shoulder, back, neck and abdomen). Following this,
the Municipal Prosecutor’s Office sent a letter on 23 November 1999 with a request for
additional information with regard to this event to the First Police Station Dubrovnik, which sent
a special report to the Prosecutor’s Office on the procedures used. The collected data did not
confirm that maltreatment had occurred. At present, the Government has no feed-back
information on the progress of this case. Nikola Miletić has contacted the news media to bring
the police officers and the complete service into disrepute. The reports by the newspapers, the
criminal charges brought and his allegations, especially regarding his having been handcuffed
and given electric shocks, are not correct.
353. The police reportedly ill-treated several persons participating in annual
demonstrations, on 9 May 2000 in Zagreb, organized by pressure groups which seek to change
the name of the capital’s “Square of Croatian Great Men” (Trg hrvatskih velikana) back to its
original name - “Square of the Victims of Fascism” (Trg zrtava fasizma). Skirmishes reportedly
broke out between demonstrators and supporters of right-wing groups opposing the
demonstration. Three demonstrators were taken to a nearby police station by plainclothes special
police officers who allegedly kicked and beat them in the process, tore out tufts of hair from one
individual and broke the spectacles of another. No investigations are believed to have been
launched into these reports of ill-treatment. Furthermore, some 30 other demonstrators were
apparently followed by a large group of right-wing supporters as they left the square. Out of fear
for their safety the demonstrators chose to walk home via a street on which a police station is
located. When some of their pursuers started throwing stones at them, police standing by in the
porch of the police station reportedly refused to intervene.
354. The Government responded that due to the disturbing of the public peace and order, and
due to the attack on a police officer on 9 May 2000 while securing the public gathering,
compulsory means had been applied by police officers on six persons taken into custody. The
Government provided further information on the following individuals. Three officers of the
Special Police Unit used physical force against Dražen Bujas. However, no consequences arose
from this. His allegations of ill-treatment were carefully examined and a written answer was sent
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