ZAGREB, July 19, 2019 – The State Prosecutor’s Office (DORH) has accused Human Rights Ombudswoman Lora Vidović of procedure confidentiality breach by publishing an “anonymous complaint” by border police officers who claim their superiors force them to be violent towards migrants.
Vidović has made a post on her website under the headline “Institutions without response to anonymous complaint by police officer about unlawful actions”, enclosing the anonymous complaint.
DORH says it has forwarded the complaint to the relevant prosecutor’s office for preliminary investigation, which is under way.
DORH notes that it is therefore not one of the institutions mentioned in the ombudswoman’s headline, and that her conclusion “about the lack of response is based solely on the fact that she was not informed about action taken on the anonymous complaint.”
It adds that under the law only victims may request from the relevant prosecutor’s office to be informed if action has been.
DORH recalls that any action taken during a preliminary investigation as well as information on a person against whom a criminal complaint has been filed is confidential. It adds that investigation confidentiality envisages the protection of the complainant, notably when they voice fear about their personal, job or family safety, as is the case with this anonymous complainant.
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