4 hours agoConfirmed by the Belgium Justice Ministry: Peter Shala to be sent to The Hague
Periskopi(5 years ago)
(5 years ago)On 16 March this year, Peter Shala, former commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army, has been arrested by authorities in Belgium at the request of the Special Court. The latter, has announced that Shala, known during wartime by the nickname “Ujku”, has filed charges of war crimes. But although they have gone through more than [...]
But although more than a week has passed since his arrest, Peter Shala is continuing to be held in Belgium, where he also lived before arrest pending extradition to The Hague.
Although it is still not known when Shala will be extradited to face trial in Special, Belgium's Justice Ministry has confirmed on Wednesday for the reporter.net that the procedure for his surrender to The Hague authorities has begun and are continuing.
In their response, the arrest and transfer of former KLA member is reportedly based on Belgian law on co-operation with the International Criminal Court.
The arrest and transfer of Peter Shala is based on the 2004 Belg Law on co-operation with the International Criminal Court and International Criminal Tribunals, rather than on common legislation for arrest and extradition”, the Belgian Justice Ministry's response is said.
On the other hand, this minister stresses that Shala's extradition procedures to The Hague are continuing, but without giving any date when former commander The NLA will be handed over to Special.
“net 86 and 87 are applicable to the arrest and transfer of persons, regardless of their nationality. Procedures are continuing”, said in response to Belgian Justice Ministry spokeswoman Christine-Laura Kowassi.
The Belgian Justice Ministry has not commented on it in Kosovo's Specialised Chambers in The Hague.
We are currently unable to provide any additional information from what was published in the press communiqué on March 16, 2021”, the Special Court's response reported.
In the communiqué mentioned by the Special, Peter Shala has reportedly been arrested in Belgium, in the application of confirmed arrest and war crimes indictment issued by the Kosovo Specialised Chambers Pre-Procedure Judge. According to Special Shala, it will be held in the Belgian state pending his transfer to the DHSK detention facility.
“Pierre Shala will be detained in Belgium, pending his transfer to the DHSK detention facility at The Hague”, the statement said.
“Based on the 88th Rule of Procedure and Evidence, the indictment is made public no later than the first presentation of the accused”, the Special noted in the statement, adding that “will soon be provided more information involving information for public extraction of the indictment confirmed with necessary editing”.
The OVL of the KLA had also reacted to this arrest, saying that each former soldier is the target of the Special Court.
Peter Shala, known as the “Wjku”, has been engaged during wartime in the Dukagjini area as commander in the village of Dujaka.
In February 2019, he was interviewed by special prosecutorial investigators of Kosovo's Specialised Chambers in the quality of the suspect.
With residence in Belgium, Shala had said that during the interview there were no lawyers because there are no conditions for having a defence lawyer.
