Ivanovic transferred to Kosovska Mitrovica

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA - EULEX spokesperson Dragana Nikolic Solomon told Tanjug that leader of the Citizens' Initiative Serbia Democracy Justice (SDP) Oliver Ivanovic was transferred on Wednesday from the Pristina detention unit to the one in Kosovska Mitrovica.

Nikolic Solomon underlined that the EULEX mission assisted the Kosovo police in Ivanovic's transfer.

The convoy that transferred Ivanovic arrived in the Kosovska Mitrovica detention unit at 11:25 CET on Wednesday, Tanjug's on-site reporter said.

The convoy entered the detention center right away in the escort of the police and EULEX special units.

The SDP leader should have been transferred to the Kosovska Mitrovica detention unit on Tuesday upon the decision by a review panel of judges at the Basic Court of Mitrovica.

Ivanovic, the leader of Citizens' Initiative Serbia, Democracy, Justice and candidate for mayor of northern Kosovska Mitrovica in the February 23 elections, has been in detention since January 27.

He was arrested on suspicion of involvement in an alleged war crime in 1999 and post-war incidents in 2000, including an aggravated murder, and for inciting to ethnically motivated murder.

The Serbian government demanded on February 10 that Ivanovic and three other Serbs be released pending trial, offering guarantees that they will be available to the EULEX mission throughout their trials.

However, despite the guarantees, Ivanovic's detention has been extended for two more months on February 27.

Ivanovic subsequently went on a hunger strike and a panel of judges of the North Mitrovica Basic Court reviewed his appeal on Monday, deciding that there are no legal obstacles to an immediate transfer to detention...

Continue reading on: