New Belgrade Husband Faces Detention Over Wife Beating

Belgrade’s Third Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office asked a court on September 1 to detain S. R. (42) of New Belgrade for up to 30 days. He is suspected of domestic violence under Article 194, paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code, committed against his wife.

According to the prosecutor’s office, the first attack happened on August 24. After a brief verbal argument, S. R. punched his wife and injured her. Prosecutors say he then threatened to kill her if she called the police.

A second attack followed five days later, on August 29. The suspect allegedly demanded money from his wife, and when she did not hand it over right away, he slapped her across the face and knocked her onto the bed. Citing the police detention order, Kurir reports that he then ripped a cord from a lamp, apparently intending to hit her with it, but backed off after she promised to give him the money. He left the apartment afterward.

On the public prosecutor’s order, officers from the New Belgrade Police Station issued a decision to hold S. R. He was then questioned by prosecutors and presented his defense.

The public prosecutor subsequently filed a motion for pretrial detention with the Third Basic Court in Belgrade. In its statement, the prosecutor’s office laid out the reasoning:

“It proposed that the court order detention of up to 30 days so that the suspect could not influence the victim and witnesses, and would not repeat the offense in a short period of time.”

The prosecutor’s office cites the risk that S. R., if left free, could influence his wife and potential witnesses, as well as the risk that he could repeat the same offense in the near term.

The decision on detention now rests with the Third Basic Court in Belgrade. Until then, the presumption of innocence applies to S. R., and prosecutors still have to prove guilt in court.