Avdi Memçaj was arrested by Serbian authorities following a social media post and has been held at Belgrade Central Prison since May 20. His lawyer, Arianit Koci, is urging that similar cases be made public and reported immediately, warning that Serbian authorities have recently intensified checks on Kosovo citizens, including inspections of their mobile phones.
A social media post criticizing Serbia was enough for Avdi Memçaj to end up in Belgrade Central Prison.
On May 20, he was detained by Serbian authorities at the Merdare border crossing on suspicion of inciting hatred through social media.
For weeks, however, the case remained undisclosed because his family feared that media exposure could lead to additional pressure and consequences for other family members.
His legal defense has now been taken over by lawyer Arianit Koci, who argues that making such cases public is the most effective way to respond to similar situations.
“Anyone facing this kind of problem should make it public and inform either me or the institutions of Kosovo, so that we have an accurate picture of the situation and can take legal action in a timely manner,” Koci said.
Koci also warned that Serbian authorities have intensified inspections, including searches of the personal mobile phones of Kosovo citizens.
“They are checking phones to see whether there are any photos of the KLA or anything related to the KLA. In some cases, they are looking for anything they can use. I suspect there are more cases than we actually know about. That is why I believe the state of Kosovo must take this issue much more seriously. We also need institutional support,” he added.
According to Koci, there has been a noticeable increase in the activities of Serbian police targeting Kosovo citizens traveling through Serbian territory in recent months.
On Friday, Serbian police also arrested Kosovo citizen Osman Selmani at the Mutivodë border crossing, accusing him of committing crimes in Pristina in June 1999.
