LAWYER VASVIJA VIDOVIĆ SENTENCED TO SIX MONTHS IN PRISON

SARAJEVO, MARCH 10 /SRNA/ - The Appeals Chamber of the Court of BiH today issued a final verdict sentencing lawyer Vasvija Vidović to six months in prison for concealing the mobile phone of the suspended president of the Court of BiH, Ranko Debevec, in the building of the State Investigation and Protection Agency /SIPA/.

Vidović was convicted of the criminal offense of obstruction of evidence. According to the verdict, on December 18, 2023, Vidović arrived at the SIPA official premises after Debevec, who was arrested that day, summoned her as his lawyer. At that time, Ranko Debevec was allowed to communicate privately with Vasvija Vidović in a separate room at the State Investigation and Protection Agency /SIPA/, without the presence of police officers. Aware that her actions were unlawful and aimed at significantly obstructing the proving of these criminal offenses before the Court of BiH, Vidović took the Samsung mobile phone after Debevec removed it from a bag he was carrying, the Court of BiH said in a statement. Vidović was found guilty of knowingly taking the phone, fully aware that it was supposed to be temporarily confiscated under an order from the Court of BiH. The phone was to be used as evidence in the criminal proceedings against Ranko Debevec. No appeal is permitted against the second-instance verdict. In the first-instance ruling, issued in February last year, Vidović was sentenced to one year in prison.