The Humanitarian Law Center has informed the Serbian Minister of Justice about the most recent cases of physical abuse of detainees in Kosovo and the continuing practice of arresting Kosovo Albanian men in connection with the conflict in the region. The HLC urged the Minister to take concrete steps to show that the Serbian authorities have begun implementation of the Milo{evi}-Holbrooke agreement, which envisages amnesty for all persons charged with or convicted of politically motivated criminal offenses.

Serbian security forces entered and destroyed Vrani} village on 26 August and arrested some 100 ethnic Albanian men. All were detained as alleged terrorists.

On 17 November, four Albanians from Orahovac who were staying at the Ambassador Hotel in Ni{ were arrested. One was released the next day. The remaining three were ordered remanded in custody for 30 days as suspected terrorists.

On 29 October, 26 detainees were beaten while being taken from the Prizren District Court back to the Lipljan prison. The bus stopped at a roadside cafe in which police officers escorting the prisoners spent several hours drinking. The physical abuse started as soon as the officers got back on the bus and lasted until it arrived in Lipljan. The detainees, including Defrim Malaaljija, a minor, told their lawyers they were unconscious when they reached Lipljan.

Another 15 detainees were subjected to physical violence on the way from the Lipljan prison to the District Court in Prizren. They were beaten again when they left the courtroom and in the presence of their lawyers.