A one-month detention order has been imposed on Fehim Sali, a teacher from Dragash who was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of espionage. According to the Special Prosecution’s request for detention, the suspect himself allegedly provided detailed accounts of his activities and cooperation with a Serbian BIA official.
Sali, a Kosovo citizen from the municipality of Dragash, was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of espionage in favor of the Serbian Security Intelligence Agency (BIA). According to the Special Prosecution, during questioning he provided concrete details about his activities.
Sali had been under investigation since June of last year, after information concerning his alleged suspicious activities was forwarded by the Kosovo Intelligence Agency (AKI) to the Special Prosecution.
“…acting on the orders and instructions of senior BIA official Želimir Matović, known by the nickname ‘Željko,’ he provided information about the political situation in Kosovo, identified Kosovo Intelligence Agency officials by photographing them, and provided information about individuals belonging to the Wahhabi sect and other persons, whom he subsequently proposed to the BIA official as potential targets for contact and recruitment,” the Special Prosecution stated.
According to the prosecution’s request, the covert measures carried out during the investigation further strengthened the suspicions, while the suspect allegedly did not dispute the findings during questioning.
“The well-founded suspicion was further confirmed by the statements of the defendant himself, who described in detail his incriminating actions, including the methods and meeting locations used for communication, the provision of information, and assistance to the Serbian BIA through its official Želimir Matović. When the evidence is assessed collectively, it establishes a well-founded suspicion that the defendant committed the criminal offense with which he is charged, while detention is absolutely necessary at this stage of the proceedings,” the Special Prosecution stated.
Sali had also served as a member of the Consultative Council for Communities within the Office of the President of Kosovo until his dismissal in May 2024. The prosecution also referred to this position in its request for detention.
According to the prosecution, such a position could have provided him with access to sensitive information and contact with individuals of importance to the functioning of Kosovo’s state institutions.
The prosecutor in the case, Bekim Kodraliu, also spoke about the search conducted at the suspect’s property following his arrest and the evidence discovered there.
“When submitting the request for detention, the defendant himself stated that he had been recruited and had maintained ongoing contacts with BIA officials,” said Bekim Kodraliu, prosecutor at the Special Prosecution.
Sali’s arrest on suspicion of espionage comes amid a series of arrests and convictions for the same offense involving a significant number of individuals who have held positions in various institutions, ranging from the Kosovo Police to international organizations such as the OSCE. A common element in these cases has been the alleged reporting of information to the Serbian BIA.
