Initial hearing for 21 defendants in absentia over war crimes set for September 28

The Basic Court in Pristina has scheduled the initial hearing on the indictment filed by Kosovo’s Special Prosecution for September 28, starting at 9:30 a.m. In this case, 21 people are listed in the dock: Zlatomir Peshiq, Mladen Cirkoviq, Radomir Markoviq, Dushko Adamoviq, Obrad Stevanoviq, Zhivko Trajkoviq, Goran Radosavleviq, Bogoljub Janiçeviq, Sllavisha Ivanoviq, Boshko Vukiqeviq, Sreten Popoviq, Nikolla Petroviq, Kërsman Jeliq, Lubisha Stojimiroviq, Bozhidar Deliq, Radojko Stefanoviq, Dragan Zhivanoviq, Milosh Gjoshan, Lubinko Cvetiq, Bozhidar Filiq and Milovan Kovaçeviq.

They face charges of war crimes committed against the civilian population.

The trial panel will be headed by Judge Medie Bytyqi.

The Special Prosecution has requested that the trial proceed in the defendants’ absence, since they had not been accessible to the justice authorities up to the time the indictment was filed.

In this context, the court is publicly calling on the accused to appear voluntarily and surrender to Kosovo’s prosecuting authorities.

The authorities are also urging anyone with information about the defendants’ whereabouts to report it to the Kosovo Police or other competent institutions, according to an official statement by the Basic Court in Pristina.