SARAJEVO:Tensions rose on Tuesday in a stand-off between Bosnian police and protestersafter the arrest of the leader of a movement demonstrating over the unresolveddeath of his student son in the city of Banja Luka. Hundreds of people gatheredto protest against the arrest of their leader Davor Dragicevic, defying policeforces deployed around central square in Banja Luka, the capital of Serb-runBosnian entity Republika Srpska (RS).
Dragicevic, 49,whose son David died in March, "was arrested after having failed torespond to a police summons," police spokeswoman Marija Markanovic toldreporters. For months, Dragicevic and his ex-wife have accused the authoritiesin the Bosnian Serb-run region of "killing" their son, a chargeofficials have denied. The body of the 21-year-old technology student was foundin a stream in March. Police called hisdeath an accident, but his family suspected foul play, sparking a wave ofprotests not seen in Bosnia since 2014. A prosecutor later qualified the deathas murder.
Nightly meetings
The group"Justice for David", which has been meeting every evening in BanjaLuka's central square for nine months now, last week gathered outside theparliament of Republika Srpska without approval by the authorities. Some 20protesters, including Dragicevic, were accused by a prosecutor of"threatening the security" of political officials.
Dragicevic wassummoned for questioning but refused to report to the police station, thepolice spokeswoman said. His ex-wife, David's mother Suzana Radanovic, andseveral other group members were also arrested, including opposition partyleader Branislav Borenovic and his party's MP Drasko Stanivukovic. They wereall accused of "violating public order," police said. Radanovic wasreleased later on Tuesday and joined the protesters.
According tolocal media, the demonstrators opposed police removing a "sanctuary"at what has become known as "David's Square" where they have beengathering, bringing flowers and lighting candles every evening. Police then forced several hundred protestersfrom the place as well as from a park where they had moved. The European Uniondelegation in Bosnia in a statement expressed "deep concern" and"asked the RS Ministry of Interior for an immediate explanation of theongoing arrests of different persons associated with the
'Justice forDavid' movement."
Hundreds ofprotesters rallied in the evening in Bosnian capital Sarajevo and blocked mainboulevard in support of the group in Banja Luka, an AFP journalist reported.Protests "for David" have gradually turned into demonstrationsagainst the rule of Milorad Dodik, a Bosnian Serb strongman whose party won anOctober election in Republika Srpska. Since the end of the 1992-1995 war,Bosnia has been composed of two entities -- Serb-run Republika Srpska and theMuslim-Croat Federation -- united by a loose central government. - AFP