Vote fraud suspects: Speaking Defense Lawyers

Two suspects in abuse of office during the elections and taking bribes in connection with votes today appeared before the court in the Pristina Foundation Court. The hearing was held in connection with the prosecution's request that both be assigned detention measures. The protection of two A.K. and S.M. suspects has rejected the detention measure.

After the hearing was held on closed doors, the defense attorney of the A.K., Arben Geci said the defence has rejected the detention measure for his client and expects measures for regular procedure to be continued against him.

He said the person he defends is suspected of holding votes.

“The prosecutor has requested the extent of the detention assignment, we have rejected that measure for reasons that conditions have not been met under Article 165, paragraph 2, so the judge is now expected to decide on the detention assignment, or will go into regular procedure or any easy measure, as is the provision of the announcement at the police station or another one that is heavy enough, but the house arrest measure. Because additional investigations are being made against other people, we do not lack to give anything. It's suspected of cheating or holding votes, this one in some form was the fifth person on the table and of that table that my protector worked on according to the processions there's no different voting due to the fact that the prosecutor has done it just for that famous video, but there's nothing more, we've rejected it and we hope that we can go into regular procedure to protect the suspect”, Geci said.

And the defense of S. M, Hamdi Podvorica said that since the session has been held closed I cannot give details about what happened, but added that they have rejected the measure of detention sought by the Prosecutor.

 “The hearing was kept with closed doors so I can't be released in detail and explain what was said in the session. What we can say for now is that they are accused of forging the results of voting and of giving and taking bribes. We await the court ruling. The defense has rejected the suspicion based that they have committed criminal work, but that will be proven during the further development of the” procedure, he said.

The prosecution called during Wednesday's appointment of the detention measure against the A.K. and the S.M., which was detained by the Special Prosecutor on 9 March under suspicion of having committed criminal work for misuse of office during the elections and receiving bribes in connection with votes.