The Basic Court in Prishtina has begun a retrial in absentia this Friday against Cedomir Aksiq, who is accused of war crimes. The proceedings follow a decision by the Court of Appeals, which returned the case for retrial, requesting that legal conditions for a trial in absentia be fully met.
Prosecutor Habibe Salihu stated that all necessary procedural steps have been taken in line with recent legal amendments allowing trials in absentia.
“We have acted according to the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code and the amendments that have been made for trials in absentia,” Salihu said, according to Betimi për Drejtësi.
She explained that authorities first verified the defendant’s address through witnesses familiar with his property, after which the Kosovo Police confirmed he does not reside in Kosovo. International legal cooperation was also used through the Ministry of Justice, including requests sent to Serbian authorities, which reportedly responded. In addition, the court summons was published in the Official Gazette for six months, calling on the defendant to surrender.
The prosecution also argued that Aksiq was aware of the proceedings, as his defense counsel had previously participated under authorization.
The court suggested that contacting the former lawyer could be a way to inform the defendant about the case.
However, today’s hearing was postponed for another day after the court-appointed defense lawyer, Ymer Berisha, requested more time, stating he had not yet received the full case file, including witness statements and material evidence from the prosecution.
Aksiq was previously convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison by the Basic Court in Prishtina on 26 December 2024.
The retrial is linked to a case that began in November 2023 under Kosovo’s legal provisions allowing trials in absentia. The indictment was filed by the Special Prosecution of Kosovo in May 2023, accusing Aksiq of war crimes committed in the Shtime municipality, including villages such as Reçak, Mulapolc, and Petrovë during January–May 1999.
He is accused of participating with Serbian forces in killings, forced expulsions of civilians, and the burning of homes, including in areas such as “Kodra e Gështenjave” and “Lugu i Neshës.” The indictment also includes allegations of multiple murders of civilians and material damage estimated at up to 300,000 euros.
Several witnesses are listed in the case, and the charges fall under war crimes against the civilian population as defined by both Kosovo law and international conventions.
