18.09.2024. » 11:02
#5 Title: In the War Crimes Trial, Lutvija is also accused of placing electrical wires in the hands and genitals of some victims.
“I am not guilty for the charges brought before me, I did not participate in these events” was the statement of the accused Shaqir Lutvija before the trial panel, at the initial hearing on 17.09.2024 in the Prishtina Court.
Lutvija is accused by the Special Prosecutor’s Office that during the period 1998-1999, in the capacity of Inspector and Police Officer at the Police Station in Prizren, individually and jointly applied repressive measures of murder, arrest, beating, mistreatment and inhuman treatment. Initially, the indictment was read by the special prosecutor Ajshe Ferati, after which defendant Shaqir Lutvija, presented a plea of not guilty for the crimes he is charged with.
Judge Kujtim Krasniqi asked the defense if they have received all case files, to which the attorney of the accused, lawyer Jovana Filipović, stated that she has received all the case files, except for a CD, but stated that it was not relevant for the criminal offense for which the accused is charged, and it is not an obstacle for the initial hearing.
What does the prosecution file say?
According to the indictment filed on 04.09.2024, Defendant Shaqir Lutvija is accused that in the period 1998-1999, in Prizren, during the war in Kosovo, in the capacity of inspector and police officer at the Police Station in Prizren, individually and in co-perpetration with other persons of the Police, violated the rules of international law. The indictment further states that the Defendant has applied repressive measures of murder, arrest, beating, mistreatment and inhuman treatment.
Further, according to the indictment, the Serbian police and military forces have initially undertaken a campaign to arrest the civilian population of male Albanians, among whom were R. J., M. K., E. G., S. E., V. V., Q. K., U. K., H. G., S. G., H. SH. and A. Z., who were arrested and then sent to the Police Station in Prizren. According to the indictment, Defendant Shaqir Lutvija, together with the other defendants, in the capacity of Inspectors, interrogated the injured and, during the interrogation process, they subjected them to beatings, including with punches and kicks, hitting with hard items, as well as other methods of inhuman treatment, such as using electrical wires placing them on their hands and genitals. As a result of this R. J., had died, while M. K., E. G., S. E., V. V., Q. K., U. K., H. G., S. G., H. SH., and A. Z., suffered bodily injuries. There is a well-founded suspicion that, in co-perpetration, he committed the criminal offense of ‘War crimes against the civilian population’, of the Criminal Law of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (hereinafter “CL of SFRY”) as the law in force at the time when the criminal offense was committed.
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