The Court of Appeals in Kosovo has rejected the appeal submitted by the defense lawyer of Igor Popović, Miloš Delević, thereby upholding the 30-day detention order issued by the Basic Court in Prishtina. Popović is suspected of inciting ethnic hatred and intolerance through a speech he delivered against the Kosovo Liberation Army (UÇK).
Popović, who serves as the Deputy Director of Serbia’s so-called “Office for Kosovo”, was arrested on July 19 at the Bërnjak border crossing, on suspicion of promoting division and intolerance.
According to the Appeals Court, the initial ruling was appropriate, as there is reasonable suspicion that Popović committed the offense he is accused of. The court referenced a video recording in which Popović can be seen and heard giving a speech in Rahovec, which, according to the court, sufficiently supports the suspicion of criminal conduct.
The court also noted that since Popović holds Serbian citizenship, releasing him would pose a flight risk, especially as Serbia does not cooperate with Kosovo’s justice system. Therefore, no alternative measure to detention was deemed appropriate or effective.
Kosovo-based legal monitoring group “Betimi për Drejtësi” reported that Popović is accused of publicly inciting hatred and intolerance between Serbs and Albanians through his speeches. According to the Prosecution’s case file, Popović is believed to have deliberately addressed a group of people in Rahovec on July 18, 2025, at around 12:00 PM, while being fully aware that his speech would be broadcast by the media.
The speech allegedly spread public hatred and intolerance between ethnic communities, using language and tone deemed harmful to public order.
