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 MINORS STILL IN CUSTODY IN SERBIA
28 January 2000
Humanitarian Law Center records show that 10 ethnic
Albanian minors are still being held in custody in correctional-penitentiary institutions
in Serbia and, in violation of the Criminal Procedure Code, are housed together with
adults. All were arrested while the state of emergency was in force in Serbia.
A group of Kosovo Albanians, including three minors –
Kujtim Lekaj from Djakovica, Hasim Dukaj from Drenovac, Djakovica Township, and Fidan
Dervishaj from Glodjane, De?ani Township - are to go on trial before the District Court in
Leskovac on 28 January this year. Contrary to the law, they will be tried together with
adults. The three boys were detained by members of the Yugoslav Army on 17 April last year
when they reached Plav, Montenegro, after walking several days through the mountains.
HLC Executive Director Natasa Kandic says several hundred
Kosovo Albanian civilians who were arrested by Serbian forces during the state of
emergency in retaliation for the Albanians’ support of the international military
intervention in FR Yugoslavia, are still in custody and include 10 minors. She said they
were in prison for political reasons and that it was high time for the democratic
opposition in Serbia to show interest in political prisoners. “They are all in prison
for political reasons and the democratic opposition in Serbia should work for their
release instead of pretending to have no knowledge of this,” said Ms Kandic. |
