“A month’s pretrial detention for a Kosovar citizen detained in Serbia, confirms MJPD.
A Serbian court assigned a one-month pretrial detention for Sadik Duraku, a Kosovar citizen detained in Serbia earlier for suspicion of “committing war crimes,” confirmed the Kosovo Ministry of Foreign Affairs and his family.
The High Court for War Crimes in Belgrade decided on Friday to place Sadik Duraku in pretrial detention for 30 days, said the Kosovo Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora (MJPD) to Radio Free Europe.
Duraku, who hails from Gjakova and also holds British citizenship, was detained on April 17 at the Croatia-Serbia border crossing in Batrovci, confirmed the MJPD.
“After the arrest, Duraku was informed by Serbian authorities that he was charged with allegations of committing war crimes during the war in Kosovo in 1999. The High Prosecutor’s Office for War Crimes in Belgrade has raised allegations of war crimes against him,” said MJPD.
News of the Serbian court’s decision to place him in pretrial detention was also confirmed to RFE by his brother, Avdyl Duraku.
Avdyl stated that Sadik Duraku’s health condition is “serious” as he has two stents placed in his heart. His defense lawyer has confirmed that appropriate therapy was provided to him by the Kosovar authorities during detention, according to the Kosovar Ministry.
The Ministry stated that Kosovo’s representative office in Serbia, Jetish Jashari, has sent an official request to Serbia’s Liaison Office in Kosovo to obtain information about the reasons for Duraku’s arrest and offer other relevant details.
“Ambassador Jashari also communicated with the diplomatic representations of the QUINT countries accredited in Serbia, informing them about the case,” according to the statement.
Jashari has made an official request to the Serbian authorities to allow him to visit Sadik Duraku in pretrial detention in the coming days.
Earlier on Friday, Avdyl Duraku told Radio Free Europe that Sadik, while traveling from the UK to Kosovo, was detained around 22:00 on April 16 at the border point in Horgos, connecting Serbia to Hungary.
“According to the lawyer, he was arrested on charges of committing war crimes against the Serbian population,” Duraku said.
Based on the decision of the Police Directorate in Kikinda for the detention on April 17, Sadik Duraku was initially detained for 48 hours as he is suspected of committing the criminal offense “war crimes against the civilian population” and there is suspicion that “together with unknown persons during the year 1999, in the area of the municipality of Gjakova, Prizren, and Peja, as a member of the Kosovo Liberation Army, he physically and mentally assaulted and looted the civilian population.”
Radio Free Europe has contacted the British Embassy in Belgrade for this case, but has not yet received a response.
According to Sadik’s brother, these accusations do not stand because Sadik Duraku lived with his family in England before the 1999 war.
In the decision of the Police Directorate in Kikinda, Sadik Duraku is a citizen of Britain and resides there.
Earlier, Sadik Duraku’s family said they had no information about which detention center he was being held in.
RFE has sought information from the Serbian War Crimes Prosecutor’s Office on this case.
Earlier, Sadik Duraku’s family said they had no information about which detention center he was being held in.
RFE has sought information from the Serbian War Crimes Prosecutor’s Office on this case.
Goran Petronijeviq, the lawyer representing Duraku, earlier in the day told Radio Free Europe that he had been questioned by the prosecutor and was expected to appear before the pre-trial judge. He said he could not provide more information at that time.
Avdyl Duraku said he has informed Kosovo institutions about his brother’s case.
In the early hours of April 17, according to authorities in Kosovo, Serbia detained dozens of buses with about 1,500 Kosovars for over 20 hours at its border points with Croatia and Hungary.
Also, the owners of travel agency companies confirmed to Radio Free Europe that the buses with passengers were allowed to leave Serbian territory after the afternoon of April 17.
Meanwhile, according to Kosovo, Serbia also detained ten police officers, including a deputy commander of the Kosovo Police. They were all released by April 18.”
