During 2025, the official authorities of the Republic of Kosovo and the Kosovo Intelligence Agency (KIA/AKI) were actively engaged in uncovering and criminally prosecuting individuals suspected of the criminal offense of espionage considered a serious threat to national security and the country’s sovereignty.
As a result of these efforts, several suspected espionage cases were uncovered, involving arrests, pretrial detention measures, and the filing of indictments by the Special Prosecution of the Republic of Kosovo.
These cases, which are mainly linked to suspicions of cooperation with foreign intelligence services primarily Serbia’s Intelligence and Security Agency (BIA) have raised serious concerns regarding national security and the protection of state information.
In an official response to Telegrafi, the Special Prosecution disclosed figures and actions undertaken during 2025 in relation to the criminal offense of espionage.
“We inform you that during 2025, in connection with the criminal offense of espionage, four (4) persons were arrested, and pretrial detention was imposed on them,” stated Arbnora Luta, spokesperson for the Special Prosecution.
According to the Prosecution, the arrests resulted from investigations conducted in cooperation with security institutions, including the Kosovo Police and the Kosovo Intelligence Agency.
Who are the individuals arrested for espionage during 2025, and what does the prosecution file say about them?
According to media reports and our sources, during 2025 the following individuals were arrested or became subject to criminal proceedings for suspected espionage: Fatmir Sheholli, Jelena Gjukanović, Bojan Jevtić, and Hysri Selimi.
Fatmir Sheholli was arrested on October 9, 2025, in Pristina on suspicion of committing the criminal offense of espionage, following several months of investigations coordinated by the Kosovo Police, the Kosovo Intelligence Agency, and the Special Prosecution. According to the prosecution file, Sheholli collected information regarding alleged usurped Serbian properties in Kosovo and transmitted this information to the BIA through telephone communications.
According to the Prosecution, acting under the instructions and plans of an individual identified as Dimić, on September 26 of this year in North Mitrovica, Sheholli received materials, audio recordings, and transcripts of conversations involving officials of the Ministry for Communities and Return, which are suspected to be compromising, as well as a sum of money as compensation for their publication. These materials were later published in online media.
In addition, Sheholli is alleged to have received further financial compensation from this individual. On October 10, 2025 one day after his arrest the court imposed a one-month detention measure, which was later extended by the trial panel.
Bojan Jevtić, a lieutenant in the Kosovo Police who served as the operational chief of the border police at the “Dheu i Bardhë” crossing point, was arrested on July 17, 2025, on suspicion of engaging in espionage activities and being recruited by Serbia’s BIA. The Special Prosecution’s case file alleges that Jevtić transmitted sensitive information about Kosovo’s security institutions, including movements and operational plans of the police.
Following his arrest, Jevtić remains in pretrial detention, while the case continues through judicial proceedings.
Hysri Selimi was arrested on May 6, 2025, on suspicion of committing the criminal offense of espionage in cooperation with Serbia’s Intelligence and Security Agency (BIA). An indictment against him was filed on September 9, 2025.
According to the indictment, from November 2009 until his arrest on May 6, 2025, Selimi was recruited by Serbia’s Intelligence and Security Agency and provided them with information on former members of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), war crimes, and radicalized individuals. Acting on BIA instructions, he traveled to Syria in 2015, joined ISIS, and reported on the participation of Albanians there. After returning and serving a prison sentence, he continued cooperating with the BIA by providing information on radicalization and Wahhabi movements in Kosovo, for which he was paid up to €700 per month and supplied with communication equipment.
Jelena Gjukanović, an official of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, was arrested on February 28, 2025, on suspicion of espionage and was initially detained for 48 hours by the Special Prosecution following several months of investigation.
On September 4, 2025, the Special Prosecution of the Republic of Kosovo (SPRK) filed an indictment against Gjukanović, charging her with providing sensitive information to Serbia’s BIA.
The Prosecution states that the accused received instructions from Aleksandar Vllajić, who has since been convicted of espionage. She is also alleged to have contributed to the creation of a hostile narrative against Kosovo’s security institutions, statehood, and territorial integrity. In September, the Basic Court in Pristina extended her pretrial detention by an additional two months.
It should be emphasized that for all the individuals mentioned, the presumption of innocence applies until a final court verdict is rendered.
Indictments and the Position of the Prosecution
The Special Prosecution informed Telegrafi that during the past year it filed a total of four indictments against five individuals arrested for the criminal offense of “Espionage.”
“During 2025, the Special Prosecution filed four (4) indictments against five (5) persons for the criminal offense of ‘Espionage.’ For all five accused persons, the basic criminal offense is ‘Espionage.’ Additionally, in December, one indictment was filed involving one person also charged with the criminal offense of ‘Espionage,’” emphasized Arbnora Luta, spokesperson of the Special Prosecution.
The indictment filed in December is against Jovan Viqentijević, who is one of the main suspects in the attack carried out on the Iber–Lepenc canal in November 2024. Viqentijević is charged, among other offenses, with espionage.
The Special Prosecution stressed that it cannot provide additional details on cases that are still under investigation or judicial review, but reaffirmed its institutional commitment to prosecuting these criminal offenses.
“The Special Prosecution cannot comment at this stage on cases that are under investigation or judicial review, but reaffirms its commitment to pursuing these criminal offenses and bringing potential perpetrators to justice,” the Prosecution’s response further states.
The espionage cases during 2025 demonstrate an ongoing security challenge for Kosovo, but also reflect the increased capacities of justice and security institutions to identify and prosecute such criminal activities.
Under the Criminal Code of Kosovo, espionage is considered a serious crime and is punishable by at least five years of imprisonment if the suspect is found guilty.
Experts have stated that espionage represents a serious threat to Kosovo’s security, and that the recent arrests only highlight the persistent risk.
With arrests, indictments, and active investigations, authorities have indicated that the fight against espionage will remain a strategic priority in the coming year as well.
