The Marija Lukić case: Milutin Jeličić Jutka convicted

Category: Above the law

Period: 2016 – Nov 2023

Outcome: Guilty verdict (as of 3 Nov 2020)

Marija Lukić, secretary to Milutin Jeličić Jutka, the president of Brus municipality and the ruling party's local commissioner, said publicly in 2018 that he had demanded sex from her, physically assaulted her and sent her thousands of messages. She says she was fired after she reported him. The Basic Court in Kruševac sentenced him to three months in prison for unlawful sexual acts, and the verdict became final in November 2020. In 2023 the Government of Serbia appointed him to the interim authority of Brus municipality; the Government says he was nominated by local councillors.

Complaint and dismissal

Marija Lukić from Brus worked for two years as secretary to the municipal president, Milutin Jeličić Jutka. In March 2018 she said publicly that he had made her promotion conditional on sex, physically assaulted her and sent her thousands of messages, and she reported him to the police.

She says she was fired the next day. At the trial, Jeličić did not explain why the decision dismissing her states that she is not a member of the SNS. Since then she has received threats, and a campaign has been waged against her on social media.

Complaint, party and resignation

The police filed a criminal complaint covering seven women, but proceedings were brought only in the Lukić case. The SNS at first said it would expel him if his guilt was proven. In March 2019 Jeličić resigned, claiming the case was an attack on Aleksandar Vučić, and Vučić said Jeličić "had not lied about anything". Prime Minister Ana Brnabić said Lukić had received institutional protection.

Trial and verdict

The trial was moved from Brus to Kruševac because of gatherings of his supporters. Jeličić failed to appear at hearings, and the police could not find him.

On 10 July 2020 the Basic Court in Kruševac sentenced him to three months in prison for unlawful sexual acts against Lukić and acquitted him of sexual harassment; the verdict became final in November 2020. He served his sentence from January to April 2021, and four days after his release he was arrested in a separate case.

MP and return to the municipality

Lukić became an MP in 2022. In 2023, the Government of Serbia appointed Jeličić, who had been convicted with final effect, to the interim authority of the Municipality of Brus. The Government says he was nominated by local councillors.

Participants

Milutin Jeličić: He received a final conviction and was sentenced to three months in prison for unlawful sexual acts against his secretary, Marija Lukić (responsible)
Brus Municipality: According to Lukić, it dismissed her the day after she reported to the police, and the dismissal decision states that she is being removed because she is not an SNS member (responsible)
Serbian Progressive Party: She announced that Jeličić would be expelled if there proved to be „a grain of truth“, and two months later she put the expulsion off until a final verdict (commented on the case)
Aleksandar Vučić: He said Jeličić “didn't lie about anything” and left the case to the court (commented on the case)
Darko Glišić: In April 2018 he announced that Jeličić would be expelled if there proved to be „a grain of truth“, and two months later he put the expulsion off until a final verdict (commented on the case)
Ana Brnabić: She said Lukić had been given institutional protection, and defended the appointment of the convicted Jeličić as the will of the voters (commented on the case)
Government of the Republic of Serbia: In 2023 she appointed Jeličić, convicted by a final judgment, to the Interim Body of Brus Municipality, yet claims the local authorities made the decision (responsible)
Vojislav Šešelj: He backed Jeličić at the trials in Kruševac and announced that Jeličić had joined the SRS and would be on the party's electoral list (commented on the case)
Serbian Radical Party: It admitted Jeličić as a member in 2020; Šešelj announced he would be on its electoral list (commented on the case)
Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Serbia: Did not bring in Jeličić as the court had ordered, and he voted two days later; according to Lukić, the police in Brus are obstructing the proceedings (responsible)
Basic Public Prosecutor's Office in Kruševac: Dismissed the complaints of six of the seven women against Jeličić, saying there was not enough evidence (responsible)
Basic Court in Brus: Jeličić's trial began on 5 February 2019; in 2020 it rejected his request to postpone serving his sentence (investigation and courts)
Supreme Court: According to Radio Free Europe, it moved the trial from Brus to Kruševac because of gatherings outside the court (investigation and courts)
Basic Court in Kruševac: On 10 July 2020, in a ruling that was not final, it sentenced him to three months for unlawful sexual acts and acquitted him of harassment (investigation and courts)
Higher Court in Kruševac: Upheld the verdict in early November 2020, making the three-month sentence final (investigation and courts)

Victims and others harmed

Marija Lukić