Bosnia Court Puts Radoncic Back in Detention

Bosnia's State Court on Friday ordered Fahrudin Radoncic, the tycoon and leader of the Alliance for the Better Future of Bosnia and Herzegovina, SBBBiH, back into detention.

He had violated the restrictions imposed on him during house arrest, the court said by way of explanation.

His detention may be extended for a maximum of two years, or until the court decides, the court confirmed to the Sarajevo-based newspaper Oslobodenje.

Radoncic was arrested on January 25, accused of having obstructed the work of the judiciary. He was kept in detention until February 17, when the State Court dismissed a prosecution request to detain him for another 30 days.

Radoncic was then put under house arrest and forbidden contact with the other persons accused in the same case, meaning his party colleague, Bakir Dautbasic, Bilsena Sahman and Zijad Hadzijaic, as well as the media.

According to the prosecution, Radoncic violated the restrictive measures when he left the 33rd floor of the Avaz Tower where he resides and went to the 31st floor to celebrate his release from detention.

During Friday's hearing in court, Radoncic claimed that he did not know the exact extent of the restrictive measures imposed on him.

He also said the prosecution was trying to make him "look like a criminal", adding that "all this [the court case] comes from one person who aims to control two political parties."