Seven convicted for riots outside Belgrade city hall

BELGRADE - The Higher Court in Belgrade has upheld plea agreements signed by seven suspects in the December 24 riots outside the Belgrade City Hall, convicting them for the criminal offences of calling for overthrowing the constitutional order by violent means and/or violent conduct at a sports event or a public gathering.

The suspects received suspended sentences of three, four or six months of imprisonment and fines of 10,000 or 20,000 dinars.

Four other suspects have been placed in 30-day custody to prevent them from repeating the offences in the near future, while six others have been banned from leaving their apartments without electronic supervision.

The court also rejected as groundless a proposal to place one suspect in custody and ordered his immediate release.

All suspects, aged 18 to 68 and charged with one or both offences, had previously presented their defences during a hearing at the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade.

Two of them have been released from detention by the Prosecutor's Office and will remain free during further proceedings.

(1 euro = 117.15 dinars)