The presiding judge ruled today that the general public was excluded from the pre-trial hearing proceedings. This decision was made with the stated objective of protecting the private lives of the plaintiffs, particularly because one of the individuals involved was a minor at the time the alleged crime occurred. Counsel for the defense, Miloš Zarić and Smodej, concurred with the court’s proposal for exclusion.
Both attorneys were participating in the proceedings remotely, connecting via a video link from overseas. The prosecution was represented by the higher state prosecutor, Darko Novak, who also heads the department responsible for juvenile, family, and sexual criminality cases. At the outset of the hearing, representatives from the media, alongside three young women representing the public, were present in the courtroom.
However, following the judge’s determination regarding the exclusion of the public, these representatives, along with the journalists, were directed to leave the courtroom. Furthermore, the prosecution formally requested that the exclusion of the public be extended to cover the main trial hearing as well. The ruling underscores the court’s commitment to maintaining privacy protections for vulnerable parties within the legal process, necessitating the remote participation of certain legal counsel and limiting access for non-essential observers.
Topics: #public #via #video
