Students and veterans of the Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA, on Monday demanded the end of the Klecka trial, condemning it as “discrimination against the liberators” of Kosovo.
Dozens of Pristina University students marched through the streets of the capital on Monday demanding closure of the Klecka trial, in which former KLA commander Fatmir Limaj and nine others are accused of war crimes in the Nineties.
Shouting “Release our freedom-fighters!” they were joined by KLA war veterans as the trial in the Klecka Case resumed at Pristina District Court.
“EULEX should give up prosecuting our liberators on the dictates of Belgrade,” said Nehat Gashi, one of the organizers, referring to the EU rule of law mission.
“We tell our courts and those of EULEX that as the Hague [Tribunal] has already acquitted them of all charges, what can they do more? We hope our voice we be heard,” Gashi said.
Currently an MP in Hashim Thaci's ruling Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK, Limaj, known once by the nom-de-guerre “Commander Steel” and nine other ex-KLA fighters are charged with committing war crimes against civilians, mainly Serbs, during the Kosovo war in 1999.
When the trial commenced last November, Limaj, Nexhmi Krasniqi, Naser Shala, Enver Krasniqi, Sabit Shala, Refi Mazreku, Arben Krasniqi, Shaban Shala, Behlul Limaj and Besim Shurdhaj, pleaded not guilty.
During Monday's session, the defence lawyers of the former Transport Minister asked the court to order a detailed analysis of the diary left by the late witness in the trial, Agim Zogaj, known under the code name “Witness X.”
Zogaj, a former prison guard at Klecka, committed suicide in September in Germany as the trial was set to start.
His family accused EULEX of negligence, as they thought Agim was part of a witness protection program, though EULEX has denied this, saying he went to Germany on his own.
Limaj’s defence team on Monday asked the court to annul all 47 testimonies that the EULEX prosecutor Maurizio Salustro presented to the trial.
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Timeline of events in the case against 13 former Serb fighters charged with committing war crimes in the villages of Cuska, Zahac, Ljubenic and Pavlac in Kosovo in 1999.