Priština journalist pleads innocence

Priština journalist Baton Haxhiu pleaded not guilty to charges of contempt of court at his first appearance at the Hague Tribunal yesterday.

Izvor: Beta

Thursday, 22.05.2008.

12:01

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Pristina journalist Baton Haxhiu pleaded not guilty to charges of contempt of court at his first appearance at the Hague Tribunal yesterday. "I am completely innocent”, said Haxhiu, when asked by Judge Alphonse Orie to submit his plea on one of the counts of the indictment. Pristina journalist pleads innocence According to the indictment, his newspaper published the name of a protected witness in the trial of former KLA leader Ramush Haradinaj. The prosecution started work on Haxhiu’s case in January, according to Tribunal documents. The defendant is the owner and editor of Pristina daily Ekspres. Haxhiu himself was called as a prosecution witness in the trials of Slobodan Milosevic, former Serbian President Milan Milutinovic, and five of the co-accused for atrocities in Kosovo. The charges were brought on April 10, a week after the Tribunal cleared Haradinaj and co-accused Idriz Balaj of all charges of crimes against Serbs, Roma and Albanians in the Decani region in 1998. When delivering the verdict, the judges placed particular emphasis on the fact that the trial had been held in an atmosphere deemed inappropriate for witnesses, many of whom had seemed frightened. Former Minister of Culture and Sport Astrit Haraqija and his associate, Editor-in-Chief of Pristina daily Bota Bajrush Morina, have already been charged with witness intimidation. Haraqija’s and Morina’s trial at the Tribunal will begin on June 16. According to the Tribunal’s penal code, those found guilty of contempt of court face a jail term of up to seven years or a fine of up to EUR 100,000, or both.

Priština journalist pleads innocence

According to the indictment, his newspaper published the name of a protected witness in the trial of former KLA leader Ramush Haradinaj.

The prosecution started work on Haxhiu’s case in January, according to Tribunal documents.

The defendant is the owner and editor of Priština daily Ekspres.

Haxhiu himself was called as a prosecution witness in the trials of Slobodan Milošević, former Serbian President Milan Milutinović, and five of the co-accused for atrocities in Kosovo.

The charges were brought on April 10, a week after the Tribunal cleared Haradinaj and co-accused Idriz Balaj of all charges of crimes against Serbs, Roma and Albanians in the Dečani region in 1998.

When delivering the verdict, the judges placed particular emphasis on the fact that the trial had been held in an atmosphere deemed inappropriate for witnesses, many of whom had seemed frightened.

Former Minister of Culture and Sport Astrit Haraqija and his associate, Editor-in-Chief of Priština daily Bota Bajrush Morina, have already been charged with witness intimidation.

Haraqija’s and Morina’s trial at the Tribunal will begin on June 16.

According to the Tribunal’s penal code, those found guilty of contempt of court face a jail term of up to seven years or a fine of up to EUR 100,000, or both.

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