Thousands rally in Croatia against sexual violence

Thousands of people rallied on Saturday in several Croatian cities demanding justice for victims of sexual violence.

The protest, under the slogan "Justice for Girls", was organized by women's rights groups who seek better protection of victims of sexual violence and appropriate punishment for perpetrators.

Earlier this month, a court in Zadar released five young men accused of gang-raping, harassing and blackmailing a 15-year-old girl in Zadar. The men reportedly have been repeatedly assaulting the victim in a village near the coastal city.

The release sparked a backlash in the country and a panel of Zadar County Court judges on Thursday ordered all five men 30-day investigative custody.

On Saturday, thousands of people protested in the center of the capital Zagreb, holding banners such as "Not punishing crime is a crime" and "Women against the system."

The organizers are demanding a discipline process against the judge who released the suspects. They also want the case to be moved to another court and a stricter sentence for rape.

N1 television reported on Saturday that the government is ready to change a criminal law which would guarantee stricter sentences for domestic violence and speed up the prosecution of perpetrators.