The trial in absentia against Predrag Nikolić, Zoran Dželetović, Ivan Ivanov, Siniša Milanović, and Jovica Denić, who are accused of the brutal killing of five civilians from the same family, failed to begin on Thursday at the Basic Court in Pristina.
The hearing was postponed after no lawyer appeared for defendant Dželetović, reports “Betimi për Drejtësi.”
Judge Kujtim Krasniqi said he would seek clarification from the Kosovo Bar Association regarding the absence of a lawyer for the defendant.
Consequently, due to the lack of the necessary legal conditions, the hearing could not proceed.
On June 1, 2026, the Special Prosecution Office of the Republic of Kosovo filed an indictment, proposing a trial in absentia against five individuals accused of war crimes against the civilian population. The indictment describes the brutal killing of five civilians who were members of the same family.
According to the indictment, the defendants in the case are Predrag Nikolić, Zoran Dželetović, Ivan Ivanov, Siniša Milanović, and Jovica Denić.
The indictment states that on May 6, 1999, during the war in Kosovo, the defendants, acting as police officers, committed acts sanctioned under domestic laws, the laws and customs of war, and the Geneva Conventions. Acting jointly, they allegedly committed the criminal offense of “War Crimes against the Civilian Population,” under Article 142 in conjunction with Article 22 of the Criminal Law of Yugoslavia.
The indictment states that the alleged crimes were committed by the defendants in their capacity as official police officers at the Police Station in Fushë Kosovë, while they were on duty during the night shift.
According to the indictment, on May 6, 1999, while traveling in a police vehicle on the Pristina–Fushë Kosovë road at around 6 a.m., the defendants allegedly saw the victims F.B., M.B., L.B., M.B., and S.B., all civilians and members of the same family, walking along the road.
It is alleged that Nikolić instructed Dželetović to stop the vehicle in order to identify the individuals, take their documents, and place them in the police vehicle, allegedly telling them that they would be taken to the train station.
They then allegedly continued toward Slatina, passing through a Serbian police and military checkpoint without stopping.
According to the indictment, upon reaching a location known as “Megja,” the defendants stopped the vehicle and ordered the victims to get out. Defendant Dželetović then allegedly asked defendant Ivanov for an automatic rifle.
At the same time, defendant Nikolić allegedly ordered the victims to lie face down and began firing at them with a CZ99 pistol. Dželetović also allegedly opened fire with a Crvena Zastava automatic weapon.
Defendants Milanović and Denić allegedly remained present at the scene throughout the incident, contributing to and assisting the other defendants in carrying out the killings. Afterwards, all five defendants allegedly entered their vehicle and continued toward Lipjan.
The indictment states that, during the journey, Nikolić handed the victims’ documents to Ivanov and instructed him to burn them. They then returned to the police station in Fushë Kosovë.
According to the indictment and the principle of applying the more favorable law, the law in force at the time the criminal offense was committed applies in this case. Therefore, the Prosecution has charged the defendants with the criminal offense of “War Crimes against the Civilian Population,” under Article 142 in conjunction with Article 22 of the Criminal Law of Yugoslavia. The same conduct remains punishable under Articles 144–147 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kosovo.
In the indictment, the Prosecution has proposed that the trial be conducted in absentia, stating that it has made every effort to secure the presence of the defendants in the proceedings and that they are not located within the territory of the Republic of Kosovo.
