The Basic Court in Prishtina, Special Department, has scheduled an initial hearing in absentia for 53 defendants accused of war crimes against the civilian population during the Kosovo war.
According to the court, the criminal case is based on an indictment filed by the Special Prosecution of the Republic of Kosovo against 53 individuals accused of war crimes under the criminal legislation applicable in the former Yugoslavia, with the alleged offenses now prosecuted under the relevant provisions of Kosovo’s Criminal Code.
The defendants will be tried in absentia because, according to the court, they have remained unreachable by the authorities up to the filing of the indictment.
The court has called on the accused to appear before Kosovo’s justice institutions and surrender to the competent authorities.
It has also appealed to anyone with information about the whereabouts of the defendants to provide that information to the Kosovo Police or other competent institutions.
The initial hearing has been scheduled for September 15, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. at the Palace of Justice in Hajvalia, Building D. The hearing will be presided over by Judge Violeta Namani-Hajra.
The court said the indictment and summonses for the hearing have been published on its official website and in the Official Gazette.
The case concerns allegations of war crimes committed against the civilian population during the Kosovo conflict. The court said it will continue to inform the public about further developments in the proceedings.
