"Organ harvesting claims form of manipulation"

A former Hague Prosecution spokeswoman says that allegations of organ harvesting of abducted Serbs and other non-Albanians are a form of manipulation. "It’s a subject of manipulation, as it’s not possible not to have information on missing persons, and, at the same time, know how they were killed,” Florence Hartmann told a press conference at the Humanitarian Law Center (HLC) in Belgrade. "Organ harvesting claims form of manipulation" The press conference was organized to promote the founding of a coalition to support the formation of a Regional War Crimes Commission . “Everyone knows that manipulation is at work here. That’s why the places where those people were transferred and imprisoned need to be investigated – whether in Kosovo or outside Kosovo. All the clues need to be investigated,” she stressed. HLC Director Natasa Kandic said that the investigation into the alleged organ harvesting of kidnapped Serbs was not the best way to investigate the destiny of the missing or for uncovering the secret locations containing their remains. She said that HLC representatives were not able to do anything in regard to the organ trade, because, as they were “neither witnesses nor psychics”, they could not uncover something for which there was neither proof nor genuine clues. "I have never read a report on organ harvesting that could be proven. That is something that appeared in Carla Del Ponte’s book,” the HLC director said. Kandic said that the initial step in shedding some light on the destiny of missing persons should be an investigation into their transportation not only to Albania, but to Macedonia, since there was genuine evidence of this and was something that the prosecution should look into. “Identifying the locations where the dead were buried is what’s important to the families who want to bury their loved ones properly,” Kandic said, emphasizing that it was unfortunate that one could not tell from the remains whether their organs had been harvested. Meanwhile, Ramush Haradinaj has dismissed accusations that he was responsible for the destruction of evidence of the alleged trade in the harvested organs of kidnapped Kosovo Serbs. The former Kosovo prime minister told Beta that Serbian War Crimes Prosecutor Vladimir Vukcevic’s claims were untrue. "I believe that every prosecutor or a man of justice in Serbia knows that what the prosecutor said is untrue,” Haradinaj said. Earlier, Vukcevic said that Haradinaj had pressured Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha into destroying evidence of organ harvesting. Haradinaj said that everyone involved in the investigation into that case knew that the Belgrade prosecutor’s claims were far-fetched. "Everybody knows that nothing like that happened. I’m sorry that a prosecutor claims that these things happened, and it says a lot about Serbia’s legal system,” said the former Kosovo prime minister, who was cleared of all war crimes charges before the Hague Tribunal this April. He said that Vukcevic’s allegations served neither justice, nor did anyone any good, and expressed his sadness that Belgrade was still operating in this manner. Florence Hartmann (Fonet, archive)

"Organ harvesting claims form of manipulation"

The press conference was organized to promote the founding of a coalition to support the formation of a Regional War Crimes Commission .

“Everyone knows that manipulation is at work here. That’s why the places where those people were transferred and imprisoned need to be investigated – whether in Kosovo or outside Kosovo. All the clues need to be investigated,” she stressed.

HLC Director Nataša Kandić said that the investigation into the alleged organ harvesting of kidnapped Serbs was not the best way to investigate the destiny of the missing or for uncovering the secret locations containing their remains.

She said that HLC representatives were not able to do anything in regard to the organ trade, because, as they were “neither witnesses nor psychics”, they could not uncover something for which there was neither proof nor genuine clues.

"I have never read a report on organ harvesting that could be proven. That is something that appeared in Carla Del Ponte’s book,” the HLC director said.

Kandić said that the initial step in shedding some light on the destiny of missing persons should be an investigation into their transportation not only to Albania, but to Macedonia, since there was genuine evidence of this and was something that the prosecution should look into.

“Identifying the locations where the dead were buried is what’s important to the families who want to bury their loved ones properly,” Kandić said, emphasizing that it was unfortunate that one could not tell from the remains whether their organs had been harvested.

Meanwhile, Ramush Haradinaj has dismissed accusations that he was responsible for the destruction of evidence of the alleged trade in the harvested organs of kidnapped Kosovo Serbs.

The former Kosovo prime minister told Beta that Serbian War Crimes Prosecutor Vladimir Vukčević’s claims were untrue.

"I believe that every prosecutor or a man of justice in Serbia knows that what the prosecutor said is untrue,” Haradinaj said.

Earlier, Vukčević said that Haradinaj had pressured Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha into destroying evidence of organ harvesting.

Haradinaj said that everyone involved in the investigation into that case knew that the Belgrade prosecutor’s claims were far-fetched.

"Everybody knows that nothing like that happened. I’m sorry that a prosecutor claims that these things happened, and it says a lot about Serbia’s legal system,” said the former Kosovo prime minister, who was cleared of all war crimes charges before the Hague Tribunal this April.

He said that Vukčević’s allegations served neither justice, nor did anyone any good, and expressed his sadness that Belgrade was still operating in this manner.