KMDLNJ writes to Lumez: When Political Murders Will Come Out

The Council for Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms has been addressed by a letter to Chief State Prosecutor Alexander Lumezi seeking clarification of the political and ethnic killings after the war in Kosovo.

The KMDLNJ, with particular emphasis, has cited statements by former MP Guni Geci, who has said President Hashim Thaci has ordered the murder of Colonel Ahmet Krasniqi in 1998 in Tirana.

KMDLNJ's full letter sent to Lumez

When will killings described as political and ethnic be whitened?

After the war ended in Kosovo were hundreds of Kosovo citizens named killings for political and ethnic purposes, and which were not even dawned to this day. At that time, the investigation and dawning of these murders was the exclusive responsibility of UNMIK . . . . . . . . . these responsibilities, along with the cases of U. EULEX U.N.I.I. or the Mission for Ending Law. No case of killings named as political and ethnic, as no material evidence has been provided has been resolved by increasing distrust of the justice system in Kosovo and, in many cases, being misused for political purposes, while families have rightly waited and sought justice for those who committed those murders or for those who ordered the execution of those murders. During and especially after the end of the war, mainly members and political activists of the Democratic League of Kosovo, soldiers and commanders of the Kosovo Liberation Army and members of mainly Serb minorities, but also Roma, Bosniak, Turkish, etc.

In the absence of providing material evidence, there were no court processes, and even in the case of rare judgments, the charges remained vulnerable and the accused were released, in the absence of evidence.

This situation that could be described as chaotic in the justice system that was led by internationals, certainly because of political openness, did not ensure justice for the victims and their family, nor responsibility for those suspected of being behind the crimes, but that there was not enough evidence to prove to them the criminal past and concrete responsibility for involvement in crimes and who were carrying high political and public positions.

The court processes have failed in the fact that the majority of “protected witnesses”, of “co-accused” as well as of “co-ordinated”, under life threat, have been forced to change statements, and for that they have been sentenced by prison courts or to money sentences, while , a large number of them have been killed or lost in unconcerned circumstances that implies that the witness protection programme has completely failed.

These murders or threats have occurred because of the deconspiration of these persons and information leaks, and nothing has been done to take legal action against those who failed, with intent or without the intention of the witness protection programme.

The International War Crimes Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia or The Hague Tribunal, despite the fair and reasonable expectations of victims' families, has not secured justice and has provided no information to clarify cases. Due to the failure of all linkes of the justice system in Kosovo to clarify these cases, family members are fuelling high expectations that the Special Court for Kosovo will clear these cases by ensuring justice for victims and criminal responsibility for those who committed crimes, although this Court has a mandate only for the Dick Marty Report. Therefore, KMDLNj thinks, given the experience that many families and family will remain disappointed and unpaid.

With the transfer of responsibilities to Kosovo's justice institutions, the demand for whitening these cases is only growing as if the charges for the perpetrators are being made public.

Long ago, the president of Kosovo, Mr. Hashim Thaqci sent an ordinance to you, Mr. chief prosecutor Lumez for the urgent whitening of these cases, while you promised you would take the necessary steps by setting in motion investigative mechanisms that so far were at stake. Actually, this warrant, KMDLNj has named it political intervention in justice for the fact that the prosecution must act under the established legal mandate, rather than according to demands “ad hoc” and which may be politically motivated.

If we go back a few days later, then we have a public condemnation of a former Kosovo deputy, Mr. Gani Geci, who raises direct charges and leaves no doubt that Kosovo's president is the commanding officer for the murder of Ahmet Krasniqi in Tirana, as well as other killings that are described as political and that they have remained unclear. Gani Geci does not claim to have doubts, that he has heard from another person or that President Thaci has concrete responsibilities for killings described as political, but speaks with a certainty say 100%, acknowledging that he has given such evidence to the Special Court and that he will witness this trial against President Thaci.

Every prosecutor and prosecutor in a country where justice works would receive him with great joy and kindness Gani Geci's public denouncing of Hashim Thaci and would immediately set in motion the necessary mechanisms against President Thaci, who does not enjoy immunity for war crimes or crimes against humanity and innocent civilians. It's been a while, and the State Attorney's Office is silent that it's not legalally unacceptable, and especially from the human rights aspect.

Former MP Geci, Mr. Gec's family, respectively. Geci made it public a risk that the murder of former MP Geci is being prepared and in this context sent an open threat to President Thaci that he and only he will take responsibility if any evil happens to their family, even mentioning the threatening “ ” of the six brothers and, at least 100 men of kalebra Geci, who have nothing to do with the laws in power but with the customary right of Lekagjini. The Canon's mention sent Deputy Milaim Zeka to prison as if deputy Demalijaj is being threatened with arrest.

After that, former MP Gec travelled abroad, though there has been reason to join the Witness Protection Programme. As the opinion of former MP Geci is informed of, it is a court process for a murder that he has already admitted to calling it necessary protection. But under these circumstances, according to former MP Geci, he also killed a KLA commander, Abednego Raja.

KMDLNj is not clear and requires that you, the chief state prosecutor, clarify how one accused of murder, without completing the judicial process can travel freely abroad? Has he obtained permission from the Competitive Court or has there been no restraint from the court to move freely inside and abroad?

Since, in the concrete case, we are dealing with a very direct statement by former MP Gec for involvement by President Thaci in killings described as political and that this statement was public, KMDLNj requires that you tell us even about the broad opinion of what actions you took to prove or reject Mr. Geci.

If Mr. Geci has a right to public reporting that he did, according to the law you are obliged to take action against President Thaci, on the contrary, if former MP Geci's claims prove false, you should also take legal action against Mr. Geci. In this case can't be two truths; or Mr. Geci is right and therefore Mr. Thaci must face legal consequences, or Mr. Geci, if it turns out to have disinformed the prosecution and the opinion must face legal consequences.

KMDLNj, since the end of the war, has called for the whitening of cases described as political and ethnic by not prejudgment until the appropriate court, with a firm verdict, determines criminal responsibility, following evidence management.

KMDLNj, based on its first mandate, is the defender of the victims, regardless of ethnic affiliation, political beliefs, status in society, etc. even on the part of families of victims seeking justice that have been denied and in this context there is no doubt that all those to whom the guilt of crimes is testified must be punished regardless of their past past posts or past merits.

KMDLNj is also the protector of those who are publicly denounced for responsibility for eventual crimes and who are not proven guilty of being subjected to a public lynching and degrading.

Honored chief state prosecutor,

No dawning on crimes described as political and ethnic is a violation of basic human rights rights, of families who rightly seek information about the fate of their loved ones, justice for victims and responsibility for suspected criminals and proven guilt.

There is no law enforcement without respect for human rights and violating them because these rights are protected only by the Law.

Adreson, not suspicions, but denouncing former MP Gajni Geci against President Thaci, after which concrete responsibility would be determined either against President Thaci or against former MP Gec.

KMDLNY expects you to solve this mess because the law owes you as well as KMDLN has to offer you all the materials it has to whiteen these cases.