Specialist Chambers confirms Kadri Veseli was granted custodial visit to Kosovo

English

Gazeta Express

10/01/2022 19:10

The Kosovo Specialist Chambers (KSC) has confirmed that due to compelling humanitarian grounds, the Pre-Trial Judge has instructed the Registry to manage a custodial visit of Kadri Veseli to Kosovo to meet family.

The KSC said in a statement that the accused remains in pre-trial detention and in the custody of the Specialist Chambers. “EULEX and Kosovo Police are supporting the Kosovo Specialist Chambers,” according to the KSC statement.

The KSC has not provided additional details on Veseli’is custodial visit. “Due to operational reasons and to respect the privacy of Mr. Veseli we cannot provide additional information for the cuystical visit in Kosovo,” the KSC spokesperson Michael Doyle told Gazeta Express.

Former speaker of Kosovo Assembly, Kadri Veseli, arrived Monday in Kosovo when he visited the grave of his mother who passed away on Friday. He was seen Monday entering his family house in Mitrovica South escorted by the EULEX and Kosovo Police. Kadri Veseli is in the Kosovo Specialist Chambers detention in the Hague facing war crime charges for his role in KLA during 1998-1999 Kosovo war. In May 2021, Kadri Veseli was granted permission by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers to visit his dying father at the regional hospital in Mitrovica South after he suffered a stroke. He passed away in July 2022. Kadri Veseli and three other senior KLA commanders, Hashim Thaci, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi are being held in detention since November 2020 facing war crime charges. The indictment, as confirmed by the KSC, states that the war crimes of illegal or arbitrary arrest and detention, cruel treatment, torture, and murder, and the crimes against humanity of imprisonment, other inhumane acts, torture, murder, enforced disappearance of persons, and persecution were committed from at least March 1998 through September 1999.  /GazetaExpress/