One month in pretrial detention for two suspects in war crimes in Istog

The Basic Court in Pristina has ordered Zhikica Belosoviq and Gruica Belosoviq to be held in pretrial detention for one month. They are suspected of jointly committing war crimes in the case known as the “Padalishtë Massacre,” in the municipality of Istog.

According to the court, pretrial detention is an appropriate measure at this stage of the proceedings, as there is a risk that, if released, the suspects could obstruct the proper conduct of the criminal proceedings, evade prosecution or become unreachable by the justice system.

The court also based its assessment on the fact that the defendants are citizens of the Republic of Serbia. It therefore found that there is a concrete risk they could leave to evade prosecution and avoid justice.

The ruling states that pretrial detention is the only measure that guarantees the uninterrupted conduct of the criminal proceedings in this case.

The parties may appeal the ruling to the Court of Appeals through the Basic Court in Pristina, the court said in a statement.