The Basic Court in Pristina has ordered one month of detention for five suspects arrested in the “Reçaku II” operation: Novica Peçinoqeviq, Stanoje Janiçeviq, Borko Paljiq, Sergjan Milisavljeviq, and Stanko Saviq.
According to the request submitted by the Kosovo Special Prosecutor’s Office (PSRK), four of the suspects are former members of Serbia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP).
The prosecution alleges that during the 1998–1999 war in Kosovo, in the village of Reçak (Račak), Municipality of Shtime, the suspects, acting as members of Serbian police forces, committed serious violations of international humanitarian law, including murder, inhumane treatment, destruction of property, mass expulsions, and ethnic cleansing against Albanian civilians who were not participating in hostilities.
The Reçak Massacre
According to prosecutors, on 15 January 1999, the suspects participated in a Serbian police operation that resulted in the killing of 42 Albanian civilians in Reçak.
Investigators state that Serbian police forces surrounded the village at approximately 6:00 a.m., shelled it from several positions, and then entered with armored vehicles, conducting house-to-house operations.
The prosecution describes numerous killings during the operation, including the murder of civilians in their homes, yards, and while attempting to flee. It also alleges that dozens of civilians were wounded during the attack.
Torture and Inhumane Treatment
The prosecution further claims that around 70 Albanian civilians sheltering in a house were subjected to abuse. Men were separated from women and children, forced to lie on the ground, and allegedly beaten with rifle butts, chains, wooden objects, and kicked by Serbian police officers.
Destruction of Property
According to the case file, Serbian police and military forces systematically burned homes and destroyed both movable and immovable property throughout the village after forcing residents from their houses.
Forced Expulsions
Prosecutors allege that civilians were forcibly expelled from Reçak and surrounding villages, including Topillë, Petrovë, Kraishtë, Mullapolc, and Dremjak. Approximately 20,000 civilians are said to have been displaced during the operation.
The five suspects are being investigated for war crimes against the civilian population, an offense defined under the criminal law in force at the time and currently corresponding to crimes against humanity under Kosovo law.
The Special Prosecutor’s Office states that the allegations are supported by witness testimonies, video material, operational data, and identifications made by citizens.
The case is linked to a broader indictment filed on 30 December 2025 against 21 Serbian officials and security personnel accused of responsibility for the Reçak Massacre, one of the most notorious atrocities committed during the Kosovo war.
