Prosecutor slams “lenient sentencing policy”

State Public Prosecutor Slobodan Radovanovic says that the sentencing policy in Serbia is “too lenient.” He told B92 that in 2008, 78 percent of those found guilty in court had been given suspended sentences. Prosecutor slams “lenient sentencing policy” The state prosecution is preparing to appeal the sentence issued to Petar Sisovic, who was responsible for a traffic accident in which actor Milenko Zablacanski was killed. Sisovic was sentenced by the local court in Cajetina to only one year in jail, even though the maximum sentence for the crime is eight years. “The prosecution and Justice Ministry have been highlighting the lenient sentencing policy for some time. We must take into consideration the societal danger of these kinds of crimes. Last year more than 700 people in Serbia died in traffic accidents,” the prosecutor said. “It means an increase in societal danger, and every country must toughen the sanctions in such cases, while we are doing the opposite. It seems that the sentencing policies are more and more lenient,” Radovanovic said. He did not want to comment on the investigation into the Milorad Ulemek-led Special Operations Unit rebellion in 2003, because that case was within the jurisdiction of the special prosecution. Radovanovic had promised earlier that there would be an investigation into the political background behind the murder of the late prime minister, Zoran Djindjic. “I have said several times that there is no political background, that prosecutors are more concerned with the legal aspects. The political background does not mean anything for the prosecution, we are interested in the legal responsibility of individuals involved in events,” he said. The prosecution believes that the case of journalist Radislava Vujasinovic and the two soldiers at the Topcider barracks were probably murders. The state proseuction explained that the police had been tasked with investigating the murder of Vujasinovic, and that a statement would be issued shortly regarding the Topcider case.

Prosecutor slams “lenient sentencing policy”

The state prosecution is preparing to appeal the sentence issued to Petar Šišović, who was responsible for a traffic accident in which actor Milenko Zablaćanski was killed.

Šišović was sentenced by the local court in Čajetina to only one year in jail, even though the maximum sentence for the crime is eight years.

“The prosecution and Justice Ministry have been highlighting the lenient sentencing policy for some time. We must take into consideration the societal danger of these kinds of crimes. Last year more than 700 people in Serbia died in traffic accidents,” the prosecutor said.

“It means an increase in societal danger, and every country must toughen the sanctions in such cases, while we are doing the opposite. It seems that the sentencing policies are more and more lenient,” Radovanović said.

He did not want to comment on the investigation into the Milorad Ulemek-led Special Operations Unit rebellion in 2003, because that case was within the jurisdiction of the special prosecution. Radovanović had promised earlier that there would be an investigation into the political background behind the murder of the late prime minister, Zoran Đinđić.

“I have said several times that there is no political background, that prosecutors are more concerned with the legal aspects. The political background does not mean anything for the prosecution, we are interested in the legal responsibility of individuals involved in events,” he said.

The prosecution believes that the case of journalist Radislava Vujasinović and the two soldiers at the Topčider barracks were probably murders.

The state proseuction explained that the police had been tasked with investigating the murder of Vujasinović, and that a statement would be issued shortly regarding the Topčider case.