At the Basic Court in Pristina, Milorad Djokovic, who is accused of committing war crimes in Ozdrim and surrounding villages in the Peja region during the 1998–1999 Kosovo War, exercised his right to remain silent during Monday’s court hearing.
“I stand by the statements made by my lawyer and by the statement I previously gave to the Prosecutor’s Office,” Djokovic told the court.
During the hearing, the court reviewed documentary evidence presented by the prosecution. Special Prosecutor Ilir Morina reaffirmed his reliance on the evidence included in the indictment, which consists of witness statements, identification records, forensic reports, death certificates of victims, crime scene documentation, and geographical evidence.
The defense challenged the prosecution’s evidence and submitted additional documents intended to support Djokovic’s alibi, including a request to admit witness statements and supporting records. However, the prosecution objected, arguing that the authenticity of several documents could not be verified.
The trial panel rejected several defense motions, including requests for a reconstruction of the crime scene and the examination of additional witnesses, citing insufficient legal grounds or lack of verifiable evidence. At the same time, the court approved the reading of the prosecution’s remaining documentary evidence as well as the defense’s alibi-related documents.
The proceedings were then adjourned, with closing arguments scheduled for a later date.
According to the indictment filed on June 23, 2023, Djokovic is accused of participating as a member of Serbian police and military forces in widespread attacks against Albanian civilians in Ozdrim and nearby villages in the Peja region during 1998–1999. The charges include murder, torture, arbitrary arrests, forced displacement, inhumane treatment, looting, and the destruction of civilian homes.
The indictment alleges that Serbian military, police, and paramilitary units carried out attacks that resulted in the killing of numerous Albanian civilians, while several victims remain missing to this day.
Djokovic is charged with the criminal offense of War Crimes Against the Civilian Population, under Article 142 in conjunction with Article 22 of the Criminal Code of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which was applicable at the time the alleged crimes were committed.
