27.12.2024. » 09:26
#21 The hearing session against the accused Gavrilo Milosavljevic, in the trial on war crimes trial in Dubrava Prison, fails to be held
The hearing against the accused Gavrilo Milosavljevic for war crimes was not held this Friday, December 13, 2024, at the Prishtina Court.
The hearing failed to take place after two witnesses were absent.
Defendant Gavrilo Milosavljević is accused that, in his official capacity at Dubrava Prison, he applied repressive measures individually and in co-perpetration, including killing, beating, mistreatment, torture, and cruel and inhumane treatment of Albanian civilian prisoners.
The Presiding Judge, Vesel Ismajli, said that to date, the Court has no evidence that the absent witnesses were duly summoned, as their return slips have not yet reached the judge’s office, nor have they been received by the Court’s courier staff.
Further, Judge Veseli stated that due to the lack of legal conditions, today’s hearing (December 13, 2024) cannot be held.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for January 2025.
This criminal case is being tried by Vesel Ismajli, Presiding, and Arben Hoti and Kujtim Krasniqi Members.
The indictment against the defendant Gavrilo Milosavljevic was filed on 29.11.2023, while the initial hearing held on 07.12.2023.
Following the reading of the indictment by the Prosecution, the accused Milosavlević declared that he understands the offense for which he is accused and pleads not guilty
What does the prosecution file say?
According to the Prosecution's file, during the 1998-1999 period amid the Kosovo War, the defendant Gavrilo Milosavljević, in his official capacity at Dubrava Prison and in co-perpetration, applied repressive measures of killing, beating, mistreatment, torture, and cruel and inhumane treatment against Albanian civilian prisoners.
According to the indictment, Gavrilo Milosavljevic, in collaboration with Serbian police units, had committed the mass murder of Albanian prisoners, in which case on the day of the incident they ordered 1,000 prisoners to be taken out to the prison yard, known as the “sports field”, with the excuse that they would do a headcount of the prisoners and send them to another, safer place to protect the prisoners from NATO bombing.
Further, according to the indictment, immediately after the prisoners were lined up, Serbian police units fired at them with all types of weapons, such as "Kalashnikovs", machine guns, mortars and other weapons, and from behind the prison wall with hand grenades.
From this murder operation, which began on 22.05.1999 and lasted until 24.05.1999, as a result of these attacks, 109 prisoners were killed and 108 prisoners were injured.
Additionally, the indictment states that Milosavljević, along with other Serbian military officials, visited the “B” and “C” wings of Dubrava Prison almost daily, cruelly and inhumanely beating, insulting, and physically and mentally mistreating Albanian civilian prisoners solely due to their ethnicity.
The accused Gavrilo Milosavljevic is accused of co-perpetration in the criminal offense of war crimes against the civilian population.
Former senior political and military leaders of the remaining Yugoslavia and Serbia were tried and even convicted for the massacres, other war crimes, and crimes against humanity committed in the period 1998/1999.
The former president of Yugoslavia, Slobodan Milošević, was accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Serbian and Yugoslav forces in Kosovo. Milošević was accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the wars in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and in Croatia.
His trial at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), based in The Hague, saw no closure as Milošević died on March 11, 2006 in his cell while in custody.
Milan Milutinovic, the former president of Serbia, was acquitted of war crimes charges during the Kosovo conflict.
Nikola Sainovic, Deputy Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was sentenced to 18 years of imprisonment for crimes against humanity and violations of the laws or customs of war.
Dragoljub Ojdanić, former Chief of the General Staff of the Yugoslav Army, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for crimes against humanity.
Nebojša Pavković, former commander of the Third Army of the Yugoslav Army, was sentenced to 22 years in prison for crimes against humanity and violations of the laws or customs of war.
Vladimir Lazarević, former commander of the Pristina Corps of the Yugoslav Army, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for crimes against humanity.
Sreten Lukić, former head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Serbia’s Kosovo staff, was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment for crimes against humanity and violations of the laws or customs of war.
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