Pristina, 4 September 2024- The Special Prosecution of the Republic of Kosovo has today filed an indictment in the Pristina Basic Court- Special Department, against the defendant Sh.L. of Goran nationality, due to the well-founded suspicion that in complicity with other persons, he has committed the criminal offense of War Crimes 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 the criminal offense was committed.
The defendant, in his capacity as a police officer of the Police Station in Prizren, during the war in Kosovo committed murder, torture, inhumane treatment of the civilian population of Albanian nationality in the Municipality of Suhareka and Rahovec. The investigations have proven that the Serbian police forces first arrested the victims in the region of Suhareka and Rahovec and then sent them to the Police Station in Prizren. There, the defendant interrogated them using torture and inhumane treatment. As a result of the torture, the deceased R. J. died, while ten (10) other civilians suffered serious bodily injuries and psychological consequences.
This criminal case has already been handed over to the Special Department of the Basic Court in Pristina for further proceedings. The defendant is being kept in detention according to the pre-trial judge decision until a new decision by the court.