a minute agoAt the Mustafa trial, a victim speaks: So far I have been silent by fear
Periskopi(4 years ago)
(4 years ago)A protected person, known as a victim by Kosovo's Specialised Chambers in The Hague, has spoken before the court in the case of former Kosovo Liberation Army member Salih Mustafa. He has been declared under security protection measures whose identity has not been disclosed to the public and has said so far [...]
He has been heard in a closed hearing for the public, at the request for protection of the victims.
Only at the end of the session have several sentences appeared in public broadcasting.
I had the case with a lot of talk about my family. We've been silent for years of fear, but we know we're not alone in suffering. Many families have lost family members... have members of the missing family. We just eventually found the victim and could bury me as a loving family member. But I can imagine how hard it is... (reading)”, he said.
Following the request of the victim's lawyer, the court had decided in advance to hear a statement from a victim who ended up in a single session.
While, Salih Mustafa's defense will submit the opening statement tomorrow to the court at The Hague. This marks the beginning of the defence issue, which will continue with the evidence and hearing of 17 witnesses.
On March 23rd, it is scheduled to be heard by the first defense witness, and the court's shame has left the lawyer 36 hours available to question the 17 former witnesses.
The start of the defence case comes after the Specialised Prosecutor's Office has finished its case.
The Act against Salih Mustafa, who is the first arrested by the Special, was confirmed on June 12th 2020, as he was arrested on September 24th last year, on the claim of war crimes.
He is standing at The Hague's detention centre, while in his statement to the court, Salih Mustafa has been declared innocent.
