The People’s Advocate, Ceslav Panico, took notice on his own initiative following the death of a detainee, injured as a result of a warning shot fired by the police during an escape attempt from the courtyard of the Straseni Court. The Ombudsman requests a careful examination of the circumstances of the case to determine whether the intervention of law enforcement was justified, reports IPN.
The Ombudsman’s Office specifies that the circumstances in which the incident occurred will be examined and documented, including the manner in which the firearm was used and whether the rules of the law were respected. At the same time, the Ombudsman wants to ensure that the investigation is swift, independent, and thorough, as required by the standards regarding the right to life and protection against abusive treatment.
“In the exercise of his legal duties, the ombudsman will request the necessary information from the competent authorities and will monitor the progress of investigations, in order to verify the respect of fundamental rights and applicable national and international standards,” is mentioned in the institution’s response.
The incident occurred on Friday in the courtyard of the Straseni Court, when a 23-year-old detainee allegedly tried to jump over the fence. According to law enforcement, a police officer fired a warning shot to stop the escape attempt, but the young man was fatally wounded. He was serving a sentence for hooliganism and had been escorted to court, being targeted in another criminal case for the same offense.
