Released from custody, Darko Gligorijević, a journalist who reported from the Student City.
The Zoomer journalist Darko Gligorijević has been released from the police station in New Belgrade.
As a reminder, Gligorijević was arrested after being summoned to the police station in New Belgrade to provide a statement as a citizen, according to the Nova portal.
Upon his release from custody, he stated that the conversation with the police officers was respectful and that both the officers from New Belgrade and those from the Voždovac police station behaved appropriately.
The student and Zoomer journalist told N1 that the police returned his ID card and informed him that he would now undergo regular misdemeanor proceedings. He added that another student was also released, while three others remained at the police station, where they were also told that their ID cards would be returned and they would be released.
Commenting on the allegations of making noise and shouting during the incident in the Student City, Gligorijević stated that the accusations were unfounded since it would have been impossible for him to record and shout at the same time, as he would then have been the loudest on the recording.
Darko Gligorijević's lawyer explained that the misdemeanor charge remains and that he will be summoned by the misdemeanor court, with the proceedings continuing as usual.
She emphasized that it was good that the judge assessed there was no basis for an urgent decision, especially regarding the journalist being accused of shouting and causing a disturbance. She reiterated that in that case, his voice would have been heard on the microphone.
“It is entirely normal for him to be treated like any other citizen facing a misdemeanor charge. I believe he should have been released last night. However, a large number of people were detained, and the judge could not process all of them at the same time, as this depends on what the police deliver to her,” the lawyer explained.
She added that the recordings show that Gligorijević did not engage in any verbal or physical contact and emphasized that his detention constitutes a “misuse of authority regarding the entire procedure.”
“This is a classic case of a slap lawsuit against a journalist. If we already have recordings showing that he did nothing wrong, we consider this a misuse of authority, judicial procedure, and police action that led to his detention,” the lawyer stated.
As a reminder, Gligorijević was detained following his statement as a suspect, under suspicion of violating Article 7 of the Law on Public Order and Peace, i.e., disturbing public order and peace by shouting and causing a commotion.
He was released today, and those gathered in front of the station greeted him.
A large number of students and citizens gathered to support the detained students due to the attack on Miloš Pavlović, a student who wishes to study.
