The Special Prosecution Office of Kosovo has filed an indictment in absentia with the Basic Court in Pristina against 35 former senior Serbian officials and commanders suspected of war crimes against the civilian population.
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The case concerns events in March 1998 in the Jasharaj neighborhood, in the village of Lower Prekaz in the municipality of Skenderaj, where serious acts against civilians are alleged to have been committed during the war in Kosovo.
The defendants, against whom proceedings have been conducted in absentia, are suspected of having held various roles in the Serbian structures during the period when the events took place.
Adem Lushaj, director of the “Association of Independent Intellectuals,” described the indictment as a development of major legal and historical significance. He said the Special Prosecution Office’s document against 35 former senior Serbian officials and commanders over suspected crimes in the Jasharaj neighborhood of Lower Prekaz was important for clarifying responsibility.
In a statement to “Bota sot,” Lushaj called for the investigation not to be limited only to those suspected of having directly committed the crimes, but also to include the chain of command and those who ordered or allowed the criminal acts.
According to him, the indictment represents a step toward justice, but the process must be conducted independently and professionally and be based on evidence. He also called for investigations to be extended to other cases of war crimes committed in Kosovo.
“The indictment by the Special Prosecution Office of Kosovo against 35 former senior Serbian officials and commanders suspected of war crimes against the civilian population in the Jasharaj neighborhood of Lower Prekaz is of particular importance from a legal and historical perspective.
From a legal perspective, this effort seeks to prevent war crimes from remaining without perpetrators and accountability. The inclusion of individuals who held commanding and official positions is particularly significant, as the investigation should not stop at the direct perpetrators. It must also examine the chain of command and the responsibility of those who ordered, organized, directed or allowed the crimes to be committed, in accordance with the standards of international criminal law.
Historically, Prekaz represents more than the site of a tragic wartime event. It is one of the most powerful symbols of Kosovo’s resistance and tragedy. For this reason, documenting and judicially examining what happened there is important for the victims, their families and Kosovo’s historical memory.
The filing of the indictment may be considered an important step toward justice, but the process does not end with this action. It must be followed by an independent, professional trial based on evidence, so that criminal responsibility can be determined by the court.
It is equally necessary for this approach not to be limited only to the case of Prekaz. Numerous cases of war crimes in Kosovo still require investigation, documentation and action by the institutions. Fully clarifying the past requires work on all cases, regardless of where they occurred,” he said.
Lushaj called on justice institutions to investigate, in addition to the events in Prekaz, the crimes committed in the Deçan region during 1998–1999.
“In this context, the crimes committed in the Deçan region during 1998–1999 should receive the necessary attention from justice institutions. In every future investigation, particular importance must be given to documenting the evidence, the names of the victims, the locations, the damage and the circumstances in which the crimes were committed.
For this reason, the documentary work included in the book “Serbian Crimes in Kosovo – The Deçan Case” should also be considered a contribution to preserving evidence and the memory of the crimes committed in this municipality. Historical documents and testimony do not replace justice, but they can serve as an important part of documentation and of institutional and social awareness.
After Prekaz, the cases in Deçan and all other cases of war crimes in Kosovo must be examined without delay.
Because delayed justice is painful, while an undocumented crime risks losing its evidence as well. For the victims and their families, justice should not have an expiration date,” he concluded.
