Pristina, September 1, 2024 – The Special Prosecution of the Republic of Kosovo has today filed an indictment in the Pristina Basic Court – Special Department, against two defendants M.P and Zh.Z, of Serbian nationality, due to the suspicion that in complicity they have committed the criminal offense War crime against the civilian population, sanctioned by Article 142 in relation to Article 22 of the Criminal Law of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (hereinafter “CL-SFRY”) as the law in force at the time of the commission of the criminal offense.
The defendants are accused of having committed murder, torture, inhuman treatment, intimidation, destruction of property, mass deportation and ethnic cleansing of the civilian population of Albanian nationality in the Municipality of Istog during the war in Kosovo. The defendants are also accused of the events in the Salihaj, Imeraj, Lipa, Pepaj, etc. families. Investigations have revealed that during the time period relevant to this indictment, there were two sexual assaults against victims of Albanian nationality. Also, during the investigations, it was proven that during the war period, in the Municipality of Istog, about 5 thousand houses were burned, about 250 people were killed, 19 child victims and many other material damages.
This criminal case has already been handed over to the Special Department of the Basic Court in Pristina for further proceedings. The defendants are being kept in detention according to the decision of the pre-trial Judge until a new decision.