Ministry of Interior issues statement: "Eight police officers and one civilian detained on suspicion of abuse"

"Today, members of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, specifically the Internal Affairs Sector, acting on the orders of a public prosecutor from the First Basic Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade, issued 48-hour detention orders for the following Serbian police officers: I. Ž. (1979), B. J. (1978), D. V. (1978), J. O. (1983), V. L. (1978), N. D. (1976), N. F. (1973) and Z. V. (1972), as well as civilian M. V. (1978), who was a Serbian police officer at the time the alleged criminal offence was committed. They are suspected of committing the criminal offence of abuse and torture," the Ministry of Internal Affairs said in a statement.

According to the Ministry, the alleged criminal offence took place between approximately 10:30 p.m. on August 14, 2025, and 1:00 a.m. on August 15, 2025, in the garage of the Serbian Government building on Nemanjina Street in Belgrade.

The suspects allegedly acted with full criminal responsibility, knowingly and intentionally, while being aware that their actions were unlawful. Acting jointly in their capacity as public officials serving in the Ministry of Internal Affairs' Unit for the Protection of Certain Persons and Facilities, they allegedly used force and threats to inflict severe pain and suffering on several victims, with the aim of obtaining information from them, intimidating them and unlawfully punishing them, the Ministry stated.

The suspects will be brought before the competent prosecutor's office within the legally prescribed time limit.

According to media reports, one of those arrested is Igor Žmirić, commander of the Special Anti-Terrorist Unit (SAJ).