Skopje, 6 December 2024 (MIA) - Public Prosecutor's Office in Skopje has filed charges against four persons, who in separate incidents over the past few days, engaged in actions that contain elements of the criminal offense - inciting hate, discord or intolerance on national, racial, religious and other discriminatory grounds, according to Article 319, paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code.

The Public Prosecutor's Office announced Friday that for the four persons who were previously detained, the prosecutors have requested the Skopje Criminal Court to extend their detention measure.

“Three of the defendants, on November 28, in connection with the celebrations of the Albanian Flag Day, incited feelings of hatred, discord, and intolerance on ethnic grounds by burning, destroying, and tearing the national flag of the Republic of North Macedonia, thus mocking the national symbol. The fourth defendant, several days later, on December 2, damaged the flag of another country – the Republic of Albania – by setting it on fire, which also led to the provocation of hatred and intolerance,” reads the press release.

According to the Prosecutor's Office the actions of all defendants incited hate speech, which, on critical days, was especially manifested on social media, with the tendency to lead to new incidents of violence.

Photo: MIA archive