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 49 Ethnic Albanians Released in Two
Days
29 January 2000
Four separate trials held in
Pozarevac on 27 and 29 January resulted in the release of 49 Kosovo Albanian prisoners and
detainees. They will all be escorted to Kosovo this weekend by representatives of the
International Committee of the Red Cross. The released include 12 persons from villages in
Suva Reka Township who were arrested on 28 September 1998 in Vranic village to where they
had fled to escape fighting between police forces and the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA).
The panel presided by Judge Jovica Mitrovic found them guilty of membership in the KLA and
sentenced them to one year and four months in prison. Since they had that much jail
credit, they were discharged. Prosecutor Dobrivoje Peric dropped the charges against
Mustafa Koljgeci, Gani Trsani and Agron Pertesi.
The second group of released Albanians includes Hajrula
Krasniqi and Musa Paljusi, who were acquitted, and Hazir Zeneljaj, Muharem Buca, Hadzi
Ukaj, Haljim Bungu, Iljber Aljiljaj, Hafir Rudaj, Hisni Krasniqi, Sejdij Haziraj, Semsi
Galopeni, Ramadan Kokolari, Dzavid Krasniqi, Bajram Bajraj and Baskim Haziraj, who were
all sentenced to one year and four months and discharged because of jail credit. They were
accused of digging trenches, erecting obstacles, standing guard and observing the
movements of Serbian police forces in Suva Reka Township and passing the information to
the KLA. Hajrula Krasniqi, who is blind, was also accused of observing the movements of
police forces. Two men who were also indicted together with this group - Sahit Krasniqi
and Nedzat Kokolari - were killed at the Dubrava Correctional-Penitentiary Institution in
May 1999, while Zenelj Zeneljaj was tried and convicted in absentia.
The third group consists of 12 Albanians: Sokolj Gasi,
Kadria, Bekim, Namik, Skender, Abedin and Feket Morina, Aziz and Taci Sabria, and Skender
Morina who were sentenced to one year and four months and discharged owing to jail credit.
The prosecutor dropped the charges against Adem and Sait Gasi. Bekim Kabasi from Opterusa
in Orahovac Township was acquitted of rape and terrorism while Safet and Seat Kabasi were
sentenced to 14 years and Kaplan Mazreku to 10 years in prison for the same offenses. The
remaining nine Albanians were convicts discharged after serving their sentences. |
