A hearing against Muharrem Ibraj, who is accused of war crimes against the civilian population in the village of Osek Hylë in Gjakova, has been scheduled for September 28 at the Basic Court in Pristina.
The hearing is expected to begin at 9:30 a.m. in courtroom D17 of the Palace of Justice, under the presiding judge Violeta Namani Hajra.
As previously reported by Sinjali, the court has called on Ibraj to surrender to the prosecuting authorities so that the proceedings can take place in his presence. Citizens who have information about his whereabouts have also been asked to notify the competent authorities.
According to the indictment filed by the Special Prosecution on March 19, 2025, Ibraj is charged with crimes against Albanian civilians during the 1998–1999 Kosovo War, allegedly committed jointly with members of Serbian forces.
According to a summary of the indictment included in a report by the Humanitarian Law Center Kosovo, one of the charges concerns the killing of a civilian on February 28, 1998, in Osek Hylë. The prosecution alleges that Ibraj shot the victim with an automatic weapon in the presence of family members. Other civilians were allegedly beaten and taken to a police station, where they were allegedly subjected to ill-treatment during interrogation.
Another charge concerns the alleged rape of an Albanian woman in November 1998, allegedly committed jointly with his father and brother. The prosecution has proposed hearing 10 witnesses, who are also injured parties in the proceedings.
Muharrem Ibraj is presumed innocent unless and until his guilt is established by a final court judgment.
