Torture, inhuman treatment, intimidation and expulsion of the population — war crimes indictment in the Municipality of Kaçanik

Kosovo’s Special Prosecution has filed an indictment at the Basic Court in Pristina against A.D. for the criminal offences of “war crimes against the civilian population” and “unauthorized ownership, control or possession of weapons.”

According to the indictment, on 9 March 1999, in the village of Ivajë and surrounding villages in the Municipality of Kaçanik, the defendant A.D., in his capacity as a police officer at the Kaçanik police station, is suspected of having, together with other as-yet unidentified members of Serbian police and military forces, carried out acts including torture, inhuman treatment, intimidation, destruction of property and the expulsion of the Albanian civilian population.

The forces first surrounded the village of Ivajë and then forced residents to leave their homes, which were subsequently allegedly burned and destroyed.

According to the indictment, the men were separated from the women and taken to the Kaçanik police station; 78 of them were later released, while 13 were detained for questioning and are suspected of having been beaten and tortured by the defendant A.D. and other unidentified persons.

The case has been submitted for review to the Basic Court in Pristina, Special Department, and the defendant is in detention, as Telegrafi reports.