How far the Kosovo trial cases have reached

Trials that have not ended for years, minors and low sentences! These are in common with dozens of women's murder cases in Kosovo, says I achieved Rezniqi, researcher at the Kosovo Institute for Justice (IKD), writes REL.

Since 2010, 50 women killed by their family were reported in Kosovo.

The latest murder occurred on November 30th, when a pregnant woman was shot dead in the courtyard of the University Clinical Centre of Kosovo in Pristina. The prime suspect in the murder is her husband, who later committed suicide.

The state has failed”, says Rezniqi, who as part of the IKD has monitored dozens of court hearings for cases of murdered women.

In most cases, she says, women have reported violence against them in the police.

However, cases of murder have yet to take place and relevant institutions have failed to establish justice for many of them, Rezniqi says.

With laws in Kosovo, for criminal murder, a person could be sentenced from at least ten years in prison to life imprisonment.

Rezniqi says punishments are often “soft”, and that, according to her, makes their goal not achieved and cases of murder are repeated.

There have been cases when [the defendant] had life imprisonment, and judicial procedures have caused the case to turn into retrial and reduce the sentence. unnecessary and unprofessive procedures in relation to victims”, Rezniqi tells Radio Free Europe.

She adds that the courts, not rarely, “re-vikm the victims' families”, procrastinating court procedures against the accused or turning cases into retrial.

If there were severe penalties, as defined by legislation, and the cases were dealt with without delay and with swift procedures, the impact would be inevitable in preventing women's murders, Rezniqi says.

Kosovo's justice system has often been criticised for non-efficitists, both by local and international organisations. Lately, it is being debated over the process of vetoing, which would re-evaluate the figures of prosecutors and judges, with the goal of boosting them professionally.

Radio Free Europe has received information about how far judicial procedures have reached several cases of women killed in Kosovo in recent years:

• Diana Kastrati, Killed in 2011

Suspected in murder is her ex-husband on the run.

According to the IKD, suspect A.J. It is found in Spain, a country with which Kosovo has no extradition agreement.

A lengthy court process continues in the case, as the Constitutional Court confirmed that the Communist Court in Pristina was responsible for failing to issue the defence order, which it had deemed was sought before it was killed.

Diana Kastrat's parents indicted the Kosovo Judiciary Council, the Constitutional Court and the Republic of Kosovo and sought compensation for the murder.

• Antigona Morina, Dead in 2011

Morina died of constant bleeding three days after she got married until her husband, according to justice, offered her no medical assistance.

The Constitutional Court in Gjakova confirmed to Radio Free Europe that defendant H.Z. he was sentenced to two years in prison for criminal work - a violation of family obligations.

Women's rights organisations place Morina on the list of women killed in Kosovo.

• Zeynep BerishaKilled in 2015

Condemned for murder is her husband, N.B.

According to the IKD, the Constitutional Court in Prizren sentenced him to 12 years and six months in prison in April 2017.

N.B. He was accused of jealously killing his wife by stabning her 21 times.

After passing the case to the Court of Appeals, it increased its sentence to 17 years in prison.

• - Hello? Killed in 2015

Condemned for murder is her N.P. cousin.

According to the indictment, N.P. “slylyly and for poor motives” killed Pajazitai, firing two shots in the head.

The Foundation Court in Pec, originally, freed the defendant from the indictment.

After sending the case to the retrial, he was sentenced to life imprisonment.

But after considering the defense complaint, the Court of Appeals decided to reduce the sentence to 35 years in prison.

• Valbona Ndecaj and her daughterKilled in 2018

Sentenced for their murder is the husband, father P.N. respectively.

He was originally sentenced to life imprisonment, but later reduced to 30 years in prison.

According to a statement by the Constitutional Court in Gjakova, sent to Radio Free Europe, the sentence was dropped following the defence side's complaints in December 2020. The 30-year sentence also counts the time spent in detention from August 2018

• Armenda Aliu, Killed in 2019

Condemned for murder is her husband, B.V.

The Constitutional Court in Prizren confirmed to Radio Free Europe that it, originally, has been pronounced life sentence.

But after a plea, the Court of Appeals, in February of this year, pronounced the sentence of 25 years in prison.

• Save Mavrovqan, Killed in 2020

Condemned for murder is her N.M. husband.

Following the initial prison sentence of life, the case turned into retrial. After this process, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

• Sebahate Morina SopiKilled in 2021

Suspected in murder is husband L.S., who then committed suicide.

• Marigona Osmani, Killed in 2021

Suspects of murder are her partner, D.K. and his friend A.S.

The trial is still continuing and suspects are in custody.

• Ceremre freedom, Killed in 2022

Her husband S.Q. is guilty of murder.

The Constitutional Prosecutor in Mitrovica confirmed to Radio Free Europe that, in May of this year, he filed charges against him at the Constitutional Court in Mitrovica and that he was convicted of murder. Other details were not given.

The IKD reported in September that S.Q. was sentenced to 24 years in prison.

• Sadie Goden, Killed in 2022

Self - used for murder is her husband, I.G.

He's in custody.

• Hamide Magashi,Killed in 2022

Suspected in murder is her husband, S.H. On December 2nd, two days after the crime, authorities announced that he has killed himself.