Bytyci brothers' family rejects Djordjevic's early release

On June 17th, Djordjevic, deputy of Serbia's Ministry of Internal Affairs, will be able to release early his war crimes sentence and crimes against humanity committed during the Kosovo war, imposed by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Joguslavina.

For the most part, cover operations, notorious refrigerator trucks and mass graveyards were Djordjevic's action. He is also a prime suspect in the Bytyci case, broadcasting Koha.net.

One of his surviving brothers, Ilir Bytyci, said Djordjevic ordered the kidnapping of his brothers.

It's terrible how war criminals are treated as heroes. Djordjevic ordered the kidnapping of my brothers and sent them to a site where they had dug a mass grave for 75 people. He is responsible for killing my brothers and should not be released prematurely until he shows that he is reformed”, he said.

Praveen Greatirayu, executive director of Pretril Rights International, said Djordjevic should not be released prematurely.

“are still 1,54 people missing from the war, 1.092 Albanians and 562 Serbs and Roma. There are many mass graves and Djordjevic knows how to find them. He has also accepted all the elements that are responsible for killing the Bytyci brothers. Until he finds this evidence he should not be given early release”, he said.

“Demonstriming of rehabilitation” and “core co-operation” with the Prosecutor's Office, are important considerations when it comes to the 151 Rule of Procedure and Testing Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunal (MIKT), the monitoring mechanism for the ICTY that will determine whether Djordjevic will be granted early release. His co-operation in finding mass graves and other investigations is the only way Djordjevic can gain early release.

Brothers, Yll, Agron and Mehmet Bytyci were killed by Serbian police in July 1999 and their troops were found in a mass cemetery in Serbia. None of Serbia's police, military and political officials have responded to their murder so far.