Novi Pazar police attack trial postponed; defendants claim pride in actions

The start of a trial for eleven individuals accused of assaulting police officers outside the State University in Novi Pazar has been postponed to October 29. The preparatory hearing was delayed because two defense lawyers were unable to attend due to private obligations.

The defendants are charged with the criminal offense of attacking an official person while performing official duties. The indictment alleges that on July 29 of the previous year, they attacked police officers, using kicks, belts, chairs, water bottles, and stones. Some defendants reportedly remained silent during the investigation, while others denied the charges, claiming police provocation and the use of tear gas.

One of the accused, Hatab Rizović, told reporters that he is not ashamed of his actions and is proud of what he did. He argued that they were defending their "threshold" and were not the aggressors. Another defendant, Mensur Ljajić, expressed satisfaction with the support from people gathered outside the court and hoped for an objective assessment of the situation by the judiciary, warning against selective justice.

A student from the State University, Enes Džogović, described the accused as "heroes" and expressed hope for their acquittal. He stated they supported the city's youth and were not involved in the student protests and blockades that preceded the incident. The events unfolded after university management, with private security, entered the building and removed students who were blocking it, leading to a confrontation between citizens and police.