Hague Court extends detention for Kosovo war veteran leaders

English

Gazeta Express

25/02/2021 11:42

The Kosovo Specialist Chambers based at the Hague, which was set up to prosecute and try alleged crimes of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), ruled Wednesday to extend detention on remand for leaders of the Association of the KLA Veterans, Hysni Gucati and Nasim Haradinaj.

The pre-trial judge of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, Nicolas Guillou, said that the two accused may commit further offences by threatening, intimidating, or putting at risk (potential) witnesses through the disclosure or dissemination of confidential and non-public information and ordered their detention to be extended. Also, the judge ordered Gucati to file submissions on the next review of detention by Thursday, 1 April 2021. Additionally, judge Guillou orders Haradinaj to file submissions on the next review of detention by Thursday, 1 April 2021; and orders the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office (SPO) to submit any statement(s) of the arresting officer(s) or any other material such as video footage, if available, regarding Haradinaj’s arrest by Friday, 12 March 2021.

On 11 December 2020, a Pre-Trial Judge of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers confirmed the indictment filed on 30 October 2020 by the Specialist Prosecutor against Hysni Gucati  and Nasim Haradinaj for offences against the administration of justice, namely obstruction of official persons in performing official duties, intimidation of witnesses, retaliation and violation of secrecy of proceedings.

The charges contained in the confirmed indictment relate to a well-grounded suspicion that, between at least 7 and 25 September 2020, on the occasion of three press conferences and other broadcasted events, as well as through further dissemination, including by social media statements, Gucati and Haradinaj revealed, without authorisation, information protected under the law of the Specialist Chambers, including the identifying details of certain (potential) witnesses. Gucati and Haradinaj were arrested as suspects by the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office on 25 September 2020, with the support of EULEX and the Kosovo Police and transferred to the Detention Facilities of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague. /GazetaExpress/