Cooperating witness in coup attempt case, Saša Sinđelić, was arrested in Montenegro on the grunds of NCB Interpol Zagreb warrant. Montenegrin public has been informed earlier that High Court in Podgorica and Court of Appeal of Montenegro rejected the request of Croatia and it was quite unclear why Sinđelić was arrested. Has the decision been changed? Representatives of the High Court said that the decision hadn’t been changed. It’s rather a different decision in different legal circumstances.
“The request for extradition submitted by the authorities in Croatia was rejected because at that moment Sinđelić wasn’t in Montenegro”, said the representatives of the High Court.
Meanwhile, the situation changed as Sinđelić fled from Serbia to Montenegro in the middle of June.
Interpol wanted persons notice is still in force and the moment he arrived to Montenegro, Sinđelić was arrested.
Therefore, they point out that circumstances have changed – Sinđelić appeared after the decision had been rendered.
“Once again, this is now a new situation in the process – person is on the territory of Montenegro now. This isn’t the amendment to the same decision, it’s a different decision in different legal circumstances”, said the representatives of the High Court.
Montenegrin police arrested Saša sinđelić on the grounds of Interpol warrant. After that, Sinđelić requested asylum.
If he gets asylum, he can’t be extradited to Croatia to serve prison sentence there. A criminologist, Mr Velimir Rakočević, explained that Minister of Justice, who is to bring the final decision on the extradition, will not allow extradition of a person who has asylum in our country, in accordance with the Convention on Extradition and Law on International Legal Remedy.
In accordance with the provisions of the Law on International and Temporary Protection of Foreigners, person who committed serious criminal offence for which there’s five-year imprisonment prescribed cannot be granted asylum.
Sinđelić was accused of murdering Mirko Fotis and was sentenced to 21 years in prison.
