Re-trial of K. Albanian leader at Hague Tribunal

The partial re-trial of the case against former Kosovo Albanian PM and one of the leaders of the KLA Ramush Haradinaj will start today at the Hague Tribunal.

Izvor: Tanjug

Thursday, 18.08.2011.

13:20

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The partial re-trial of the case against former Kosovo Albanian PM and one of the leaders of the KLA Ramush Haradinaj will start today at the Hague Tribunal. The first repeated trial since the founding of the Hague will begin by the prosecution and defense giving opening statements on Thursday. The main hearing will begin with presentation of evidence on Friday. Re-trial of K. Albanian leader at Hague Tribunal Along with members of the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) Idriz Balaj and Lahi Brahimaj, Haradinaj was indicted for crimes against humanity and violations of the laws or customs of war in Kosovo in 1998, on the basis of individual criminal responsibility. Haradinaj and Balaj were initially acquitted of all 37 counts on April 3, 2008 while Brahimaj, who served briefly as deputy commander of the KLA forces in the "Dukagjin Operational Zone" in western Kosovo, was sentenced to six years in prison. In the introduction of the judgment, the Hague Trial Chamber stressed it had had difficulty obtaining the testimony of witnesses as many of them had cited fear as a reason for failure to appear in court. July last year, the Hague Appeals Chamber overturned the acquittal of Balaj and Haradinaj, arguing that the initial trial was plagued with intimidation of witnesses. It ordered a partial re-trial on six counts of the indictment against Haradinaj and Balaj and on four counts for Brahimaj. The indictment stated the three men were accomplices of the joint criminal enterprise whose purpose was to establish total control over the KLA "Dukagjin Operational Zone" by removing from the region all Serbs, as well as ethnic Albanians, Roma, Egyptians and other civilians who were suspected of cooperating with Serbian forces or of not supporting the KLA. The prosecution has to prove that the KLA forces under Haradinaj's command, including a special unit known as the "Black Eagles", which was under the direct command of Balaj, harassed and beat Serb and Roma civilians in the area between the village of Decani and Glodjane and killed those who refused to leave their homes.

Re-trial of K. Albanian leader at Hague Tribunal

Along with members of the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) Idriz Balaj and Lahi Brahimaj, Haradinaj was indicted for crimes against humanity and violations of the laws or customs of war in Kosovo in 1998, on the basis of individual criminal responsibility.

Haradinaj and Balaj were initially acquitted of all 37 counts on April 3, 2008 while Brahimaj, who served briefly as deputy commander of the KLA forces in the "Dukagjin Operational Zone" in western Kosovo, was sentenced to six years in prison.

In the introduction of the judgment, the Hague Trial Chamber stressed it had had difficulty obtaining the testimony of witnesses as many of them had cited fear as a reason for failure to appear in court.

July last year, the Hague Appeals Chamber overturned the acquittal of Balaj and Haradinaj, arguing that the initial trial was plagued with intimidation of witnesses. It ordered a partial re-trial on six counts of the indictment against Haradinaj and Balaj and on four counts for Brahimaj.

The indictment stated the three men were accomplices of the joint criminal enterprise whose purpose was to establish total control over the KLA "Dukagjin Operational Zone" by removing from the region all Serbs, as well as ethnic Albanians, Roma, Egyptians and other civilians who were suspected of cooperating with Serbian forces or of not supporting the KLA.

The prosecution has to prove that the KLA forces under Haradinaj's command, including a special unit known as the "Black Eagles", which was under the direct command of Balaj, harassed and beat Serb and Roma civilians in the area between the village of Dečani and Glođane and killed those who refused to leave their homes.

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