Witnesses to the Saradan Massacre Call the 12-Year Prison Sentence for Ekrem Bajroviq Unacceptable

Witnesses to the Saradan massacre in the municipality of Istog expressed dissatisfaction with the verdict of the Basic Court in Prishtina, which, even after a retrial, sentenced Ekrem Bajroviq, accused of war crimes during 1998-1999, to 12 years in prison.

Among those who reacted was witness Naim Elshani, who described the decision as ridiculous and said he still bears on his body the consequences of the torture he endured.

“I do not agree with this decision. This decision is ridiculous. A criminal gets 12 years in prison when I saw him with my own eyes committing crimes, torture, I lived through it, and even today my wounds still bleed. It is horrifying. I do not agree with this decision. Yes, believe me, the Serbs executed me twice. Today I am being executed even by, perhaps even by Albanians, by the courts. That means I have no security, I have no protection, every day I am threatened by people who do not wish Kosovo well. My life has been in danger several times. I asked the prosecutor for protection, and I was not offered any. Even at my own expense, I have come hundreds of times over five years. I asked for transport for witnesses. The witnesses who were abused during the ’90s until 1999 do not come. So here, I do not agree with this decision. 12 years in prison is far too little. For a war criminal to receive 12 years in prison, this is madness. There is no justice, I do not see justice. I do not know where justice is. All I know is that I suffer the consequences. I do not know how, for 27 years, I have not been able to get even five minutes of sleep because of the pain I have. I have nothing more to add. I greet you in the media, I greet the Albanians. I have nothing more to add,” Elshani said.

Dissatisfaction with the ruling was also expressed by another witness, Ylber Lipa.

“Despite the length and excessive prolonging of the process, at least the four of us as witnesses out of the 32 who are here today are dissatisfied with the decision, even though we are aware that under the laws of that time, under which he was sentenced, the maximum sentence is 15 years. This shows that the 12-year sentence handed down by the second instance after the appeal by criminal Bajroviq’s lawyer has been upheld. Nevertheless, we must accept it and we must build trust in our courts. As much as the law has prescribed, as much as the court has provided, and there is nothing we can do. The bad part of all this is the lack of support for witnesses from the state. The lack of interest in ensuring that witnesses come, regardless of the circumstances we have faced, not only with expenses, but with all the consequences. In Naim’s specific case as the main witness, he is facing health problems, consequences and psychological trauma, as well as everything else. We hope that justice, however delayed, will be served. We hope that our state will organize itself as soon as possible, become stronger, and not stop in investigating and uncovering criminals. That’s all,” he said.