Special Prosecutor presents evidence against Shefqet Krasniqi

The Special Prosecutor of the Republic of Kosovo (PSRK) has presented evidence against the former Great Mosque imam in Pristina, Shefqet Krasniqi, charged with pushing terrorist acts, as well as tax evasion.

In Monday's trial review at the Constitutional Court in Pristina, in its opening remarks, special prosecutor Elez Blakaj has stated that after the test management, it will prove that the accused Krasniqi committed criminal acts that are placed on him.

The defendant has deliberately delivered the message that has prompted others to go to Syria and Iraq to become part of terrorist organisations. The SIS and Al Nusra and has been using hate language”, prosecutor Blakaj has stated, demanding that the accused be convicted by law.

The prosecutor has said that for the act of inciting hatred, this, according to him, will be proven by listening to some videos published in “youtbe”.

Also for the criminal offence to tax the accused's company over 20 thousand euros, according to him, this will also be proved with financial expertise.

Even in his opening speech, the accused Krasniqi has not pleaded guilty to the charges he was charged with.

He had also been declared innocent in the initial review, which was held on December 14 of last year.

But the defender of the accused, lawyer Sevdal Zejnou God, has claimed that his client is unjustly charged with such acts.

I wish this judicial examination to be fair and impartial, just as we are entitled to legal provisions. I say this based on the fact that I consider that criminal initiative and investigation so far has been unequivocal, and as a result of this has come to such a situation that you file an accusation on irresistable evidence. You will have the opportunity to prove that this indictment was raised on the basis of thoughts, comparisons, hypotheses, avoiding evidence and bypassing their real mirror”, attorney Zejrullahu has declared.

He has said other direct evidence has been ignored by the prosecution, which, according to him, argues the opposite of the push.

And as for another charge, it has been misconceptions by way of avoidance. And they have been given a wrong version.

At Tuesday's session, it was set forth to give testimony to witnesses Suad Mustafa, Minire Heta as well as Nasere Ademi, but the latter were missing, for which the court has no evidence that they are regularly invited.

Witness Suad Mustafa has given his testimony about Brother Ilir Mustafa, has declared that he has never discussed the conflict issue with family members in Syria.

Responding to the prosecutor's questions, this witness has said that his brother had begun practicing religion during 2002-2003.

According to him, he had originally practiced it at home then in the neighborhood mosques, depending on where he was.

He was asked by the prosecutor if he ever visited the large mosque “Mehmet Fatih”, whose imam was the accused Krasniqi, until the witness said it might have been, since, according to him, this mosque is also near the house his family lives.

Mustafa has said that during 2013-2014, he heard speeches by Shefqet Krasniqi, which were given on several cable network televisions.

He said he had not noticed any change in his brother after listening to these programs.

The prosecutor asked this witness when they realized that his brother had gone to Syria.

And there were very different moments within the family in 2014 because of the loss of a member, frustration, grief, father has mostly reacted. Grandpa has also been pilgrimage”, witness Mustafa has responded.

After witnesses Minere Heta and Nasere Ademi were not present and the court has no evidence that the same have been regularly invited, Monday's hearing has not continued.

After witness Minere Heta lives in Germany, there will be an effort to contact her to ensure her presence at the next session, scheduled for February 21, 2018, at 1: 00 p.m.

On December 22nd of last year, the Constitutional Court in Pristina had rejected the defence requirement for dropping the indictment in this case.

Based on the indictment of February 27th 2017, Shefqet Krasniqi is charged with criminal activity “in the conduct of terrorist acts”, from 2013 to 2014, in the quality of the great mosque imam “Mehmet Fatih”, in Pristina, consistently and deliberately delivered messages to the public, primarily indirectly, messages that have led others to take the way for Syria and Iraq and take terrorist actions in those countries.

The prosecution claims that Krasniqi, has used his direct presentation through speeches and by using social networks and other information tools, through harsh language and interpretations of Koran texts outside the timeline and principled Islamic spirit. The prosecution, in this dispute, mentions the words “Revulution Syrian” and “assist Syria”.

Always according to the indictment, Krasniqi's speeches have influenced many to become part of terrorist organisations “ISIS” and “Al Nusra”, named Venera Ademi, Ilir Mustafa and Blerim Heta. According to the prosecution, Blerim Heta, on March 25, 2014, had committed a suicide terrorist act in which 52 people were killed in Iraq.

The laws “Revulution Syrian” and “Help Syria”, according to the prosecution, are incriminating that Krasniqi has done even criminal work “inciting hatred, division or non-racial patience, racial, religious or ethnicisma”, since it is claimed that he through the harsh language and interpretations of the curial verses outside the time and principle of the Islamic spirit, among other things said that the Russian communists and Buddhists have committed crimes against our brothers, that they are killing our fellow Muslims in Syria.

Krasniqi, on the basis of the indictment, is also charged with criminal work “smangie from the tax”, after allegedly owner I. N.T “Pronates”, in the 2011 to 2016 period, with the purpose of hiding or total avoidance of the tax, has deliberately provided false data by failing to fulfill obligations set forth with the Law on Tax Administration. Krasniqi allegedly did not perform tax duties, worth a total of 20.208.57 euros. /Justice Trust/