PRISTINA, Aug 6 /ATA/ The Special Prosecution Office of the Republic of Kosovo has filed an indictment, proposing that the trial be held in absentia, against 20 defendants for war crimes against the civilian population in the Municipality of Gjakova.
The defendants M.K., R.C., M.D., P.R., S.K., L.O., Zh.S., S.S., L.D., Z.R., D.G., Ç.B., V.B., R.B., R.R., L.R., M.Sh., M.R., S.G., and T.A. are accused of the criminal offence of “war crimes against the civilian population.”
According to the indictment, during 1998-1999, M.K., in the capacity of head of the Secretariat of Internal Affairs (SUP) in Gjakova, R.Ç., as commander of the Special Police Units (PJP), and M.D., as commander of the 52nd Rocket Artillery Brigade, together with the defendants P.R., S.K., L.O., Zh.S., S.S., L.D., Z.R., D.G., Ç.B., V.B., R.B., R.R., L.R., M.Sh., M.R., S.G., and T.A., as members of the aforementioned units, are accused of participating in the killing of 107 civilians during a large-scale military-police operation.
During this operation, according to the indictment act, the defendants first separated women and children from men.
“Women were robbed, with their gold jewellery, money and other valuables taken from them, while men were executed, some in their homes and yards, and others at a location known as the ‘Taliq Bridge’. The houses were also burned,” the Special Prosecution Office of the Republic of Kosovo said in a statement.
/KosovaPress/sm/
