At the Basic Court in Prishtina on Wednesday, in his closing statement, prosecutor Armend Zenelaj requested the maximum sentence for Sërgjan Lazoviq, accused of war crimes in Panorc, Malishevë, while the defense requested an acquittal.
Prosecutor Zenelaj submitted his statement in writing, emphasizing that the trial has established that Lazoviq was part of the Serbian police structure.
“From the evidence presented during this trial, it is clear and convincing that the accused, Sërgjan Lazoviq, was part of the Serbian police structure that systematically committed violence against Albanian civilians,” said Zenelaj.
The prosecutor requested the court to impose the maximum penalty on Lazoviq and proposed the continuation of his pretrial detention until the verdict becomes final.
“Considering the particularly aggravating circumstances of the crime, Lazoviq’s direct involvement, and the brutal and inhumane nature of his actions, the Prosecutor’s Office requests that the court impose the maximum sentence prescribed by the Law on War Crimes against the civilian population,” Zenelaj stated.
The defense also submitted a written closing statement. Lawyer Feride Xani, representing Lazoviq, and another authorized defense attorney, Predrag Milkoviq, argued for his acquittal.
“Based on all the points presented, I urge the court to deliver an acquittal,” said Milkoviq.
At the initial hearing on December 4, 2024, the accused pleaded not guilty.
The Kosovo Special Prosecutor’s Office (PSRK) filed charges against Sërgjan Lazoviq on November 19, 2024, for war crimes committed during 1998–1999 in the village of Panorc, Malishevë.
According to the indictment obtained by “Betimi për Drejtësi,” Lazoviq is accused of acting together with other, still unidentified, individuals in violation of international law, committing unlawful arrests, and physically and psychologically abusing civilians who were not involved in the conflict.
The indictment details the arrests and mistreatment of Albanian civilians. Between September 3 and September 5, 1998, in Panorc, Malishevë, Lazoviq, armed and uniformed, together with other members of the Serbian police and military forces, allegedly carried out arrests, detention, and brutal physical and psychological abuse of approximately 500 Albanian male civilians.
Residents of Malishevë and Klinë, along with their families, were forced to leave their homes and head toward the surrounding mountains. Civilians encountered Serbian police checkpoints, where men were separated from women and children. About 500 Albanian men were arrested and taken to the village school, where they were subjected to further mistreatment and beatings, including individuals such as Ahmet Zenuni.
“At the school, all detainees were placed in classrooms and held unlawfully for about 30 hours under harsh conditions, being denied basic rights to food, water, and sanitation. A separate classroom was designated where some detainees were individually taken for questioning and beaten by police officers together with the accused Lazoviq, including Z.B., R.G., and R.B., who were physically tortured with weapons, wooden sticks, tools, and cables. Thirteen were subsequently sent to Dubrava Prison, while others were released,” the indictment states.
The indictment further notes that Serbian police and military forces, including Lazoviq, participated in forcibly displacing civilians, surrounding Panorc and neighboring villages, shelling them with heavy artillery, and conducting house-to-house operations under threat of weapons, forcing residents to flee toward Albania.
Houses and civilian property were looted and ultimately burned, causing extensive material damage.
Sërgjan Lazoviq is charged with the war crime of “Crimes Against the Civilian Population,” under Article 142 in connection with Article 22 of the Criminal Code of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (LP-RSFJ), the law in force at the time of the crime.
