Kosovo Govt Criticises Mayor’s War Crimes Arrest

The Kosovo government has criticised the arrest of the mayor of Skenderaj/Srbice, Sami Lushtaku, and four others for alleged war crimes against civilian prisoners during the 1999 conflict.
Edona Peci BIRN Pristina
The government issued a statement late Thursday expressing concern about the arrests of Lushtaku and the other suspects over alleged abuses at a Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA jail during wartime.

“The Kosovo government believes in the just war of the KLA and its fighters and commanders - a war which enabled Kosovo to achieve freedom, independence, a democratic state and a partnership with the international community,” the government statement said.

It added that the government “believes in justice and the innocence of KLA commanders and fighters”, although it also offered support for international rule-of-law missions.

Officers from the EU rule-of-law mission EULEX and Kosovo police arrested the five men on Thursday.

“The five individuals are being investigated for war crimes against the civilian population in the form of the violation of the bodily integrity and health of civilians held in a KLA detention centre located in Likovc/Likovac (Skenderaj/Srbica municipality),” said a statement from EULEX.

“One of the individuals is also being investigated for a war crime in the form of the killing of one civilian,” the statement said.

Lushtaku’s lawyer Arianit Koci confirmed that his client had been detained.

“Mr. Lushtaku is charged with war crimes against the civilian population in violation of the Geneva conventions,” Koci told BIRN on Thursday.

He said that more information about the case was expected on Friday when Lushtaku and the other four suspects are to appear before a pre-trial judge.