Justice Minister writes to Apostolova – asks Serbia extradite Kosovo man indicted of war crimes

Gazeta Express

02/07/2020 16:48

Kosovo minister of Justice, Selim Selimi, wrote a letter to the Head of the EU Office in Kosovo, Nataliya Apostolova, asking her to use her diplomatic powers and convince Serbian authorities to extradite to Kosovo Nezir Mehmetaj, who was arrested by Serbian authorities in January 2020 and is  being kept in detention ever since. Media in Belgrade reported on Wednesday that Mehmetaj was indicted of war crimes against civilian population, Gazeta Express reports.

Selimaj in his letter addressed to Apostolova said that Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs has already confirmed that Mehmetaj is not the same person they alleged, but regardless this he is being kept in detention.

“We urge you to use your diplomatic powers and convince Serbian authorities to use the very useful Agreement on mutual judicial help, which was signed between our countries, with the facilitation of the EU. This Agreement was used in more than six hundred cases between our countries. We call on Serbian prosecution office to use these mechansims and cooperate with the prosecution office of Kosovo to transfer the evidence and procedures in Kosovo, under the EU facilitation. This is the only way to ensure our citizens get the necessary defence during a fair and unbiased trial,” Selimi wrote in his letter.  

A prosecution office in Belgrade has on Wednesday filed an indictment against Mehmetaj, accusing him of committing war crimes against civilians in the village of Rudice, Klina Municipality. Mehmetaj was arrested by Serbian authorities at the border crossing of Merdare on 3 January 2020 and is being kept in detention ever since. /GazetaExpress/