Several hundred citizens gathered in Mitrovica on Monday demanding Oliver Ivanovic, the Head of the Citizens Initiative Freedom, Democracy, Justice (SDP), to be released pending trial immediately.

The half an hour-long protest was held in front of the building of the Basic Court in Mitrovica where the regional central office of EULEX is located as well. The protestors hung a sign on the court's gate reading "EULEX's court a dungeon".

We request immediate release and expect Gabriele Meucci (Head of EULEX) to act accordingly. We implore our leader to endure because we are all with him - the citizens of Kosovo, Serbia, Republika Srpska, Croatia and Macedonia who all sent letters of support, said the head deputy of the Citizens Initiative SDP Ksenija Bozovic.

Ivanovic commenced a hunger strike on Friday at the Mitrovica prison following EULEX's Basic Prosecution Office's decision to prolong his detention by two months until October 6.

Ivanovic was arrested on January 27 with charges of committing war crimes against civilians on April 14, 1999 and February 3, 2000 and of encouraging the aggravated murder of a number of ethnic Albanians in Mitrovica. His case is related to four other Serbs.