Kosovo Specialist Chambers pre-trial judge, Nicolas Guillou, has decided to extend the detention on remand of Salih Mustafa, a former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) commander, who has been indicted by the Hague-based Specialist Prosecutor’s Office (SPO) of committing war crimes, Gazeta Express reports.
The judge in his decision has concluded that Mustafa may obstruct the progress of Specialist Chambers proceedings by interfering with victims and witnesses. Guillou Has ruled that the risk that Mustafa may commit further crimes remains.
Mustafa’s defence counsel filed a submission asking their client to be conditionally released pending trial, but the Court has ruled as insufficient the terms offered by the defence.
Salih Mustafa was Commander of a BIA guerrilla unit, which operated within the Llap Operational Zone of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). The indictment against Mustafa was confirmed on 12 June 2020 and the final version was made public on 28 September 2020. The indictment charges Mustafa on the basis of individual criminal responsibility and superior criminal responsibility with crimes committed by certain KLA members against persons detained at the Zllash detention compound. Mustafa who is being kept in detention in The Hague, has pleaded not guilty to all charges. /GazetaExpress/