Zagreb fire suspects released from house arrest; prosecutors appeal

Two 18-year-old men suspected of starting a fire in Zagreb's Vjesnik skyscraper have been released from house arrest. The decision came from a court panel on July 16, following the first main hearing. The young men had previously spent 40 days in detention and an additional seven months under house arrest, during which they were confined to their homes and barred from attending school.

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I can confirm that my client has been released from custody.

Their lawyers, Petar Barbir and Ivan Orešković, confirmed the release. Orešković stated that the State Attorney's Office has appealed the decision, and they are awaiting a ruling on the appeal. From the outset, the defense attorneys had sought the release of their clients, proposing less restrictive measures like electronic monitoring, but these requests were initially denied.

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Yes, at the first hearing that was held, a decision was made that my client would be released, meaning his house arrest would be lifted. And currently, the State Attorney's Office has appealed that decision, and we are awaiting a decision on that appeal.

Now, the defense argues that there is no longer any danger of the crime being repeated and no reason for the youths to remain in custody until the proceedings conclude. The prolonged house arrest has impacted their education. One of the young men managed to finish high school and enroll in university, while the other must retake his final exams in the fall due to missed tests. Orešković noted the psychological toll, describing one of the youths as having lost more weight despite already being thin and highlighting the hardship of spending months in a small apartment without seeing sunlight.

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Imagine spending several months in 40 square meters and not seeing a ray of sunshine.