Court schedules initial hearing in absentia for September 28, 2026, for 21 defendants accused of war crimes

The Special Department of the Basic Court in Pristina has scheduled the initial hearing in absentia for 21 defendants accused of “War crimes against the civilian population” for September 28, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. The hearing will take place at the Palace of Justice in Hajvali.

The case is registered under number PS.nr.48/25 and concerns the indictment filed by the Special Prosecution Office of the Republic of Kosovo on August 15, 2025.

The defendants in this case are Zlatomir Peshiq, Mladen Cirkoviq, Radomir Markoviq, Dushko Adamoviq, Obrad Stevanoviq, Zhivko Trajkoviq, Goran Radosavleviq, Bogoljub Janiçeviq, Sllavisha Ivanoviq, Boshko Vukiqeviq, Sreten Popoviq, Nikolla Petroviq, Kërsmаn Jeliq, Lubisha Stojimiroviq, Bozhidar Deliq, Radojko Stefanoviq, Dragan Zhivanoviq, Milos Gjoshаn, Lubinko Cvetiq, Bozhidar Filiq and Milovan Kovаçеviq.

The charges against them concern the criminal offense of “War crimes against the civilian population,” defined in Article 142 in conjunction with Article 22 of the Criminal Law of the former SFRY and currently provided for under the relevant provisions of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kosovo.

According to the court’s notice, the proceedings will be conducted without the defendants present, as they had been unreachable until the indictment was filed.

The court has called on the accused to appear and surrender to the prosecution authorities in Kosovo. It has also asked anyone with information about their whereabouts to pass it on to the Kosovo Police or other competent authorities.

The hearing will be held in courtroom No. 16, Building D, first floor. Judge Medie Bytyqi has been appointed to preside over the trial panel.