Term for delivery of appeals reports in Salih Mustafa case extended

This was made known by the announcement published on the official page of Kosovo Specialised Chambers ( DESK).

According to the announcement, the panel authorised protection and SPS, if they have appeals reports, they hand in the most remote of February 3rd 2023.

Otherwise, on December 16, 2022, the court has convicted Salih Mustaf of prison for war crimes.

The preliminary phase of Salih Mustafa lasted over 11 months until the trial took place in 52 days. 29 witnesses were heard, from them14 of the prosecution and 15 of the defence.

The “Justice Vow” was brought a chronology of the case against Salih Mustaf.

In this case, on June 12, 2020, preliminary procedure judge Nicolas Guillou confirmed the indictment against Mustafa, where he had issued the warrant and order for transfer to the detention facility.

On June 19, 2020, the specialised prosecutor had handed over the indictment confirmed with editing, as authorized by the presiding court.

He has been arrested on 24 September 2020 in Pristina, and has been transferred to The Hague the same day and has since been in custody.

On September 28, 2020, Mustafa had his first appearance before the judges of the preliminary procedure, where he was not declared about his guilt. On October 28th, in his further presentation, he was declared innocent of all points of the indictment.

On February 22, 2021, SPS had submitted its latest version of the preliminary file, and its defense on May 6, 2021. On May 7, 2021, however, the court had passed the case to the court.

In the case of Salih Mustafa, the length of the preliminary procedure has been 11 months and 22 days.

Meanwhile, DESK head Ekaterina Trendafilova appointed the juro, consisting of Roland Deckers, Mapi Feld-Tholia (Judge Chief), Gilbert Beati, and Vladimir Mile (revel).

The Mustafa trial began on September 15th 2021, where the SPS and the defender of the victims have issued the opening statement.

In presenting the prosecution's case, 14 witnesses have been heard, a large portion of them under safeguard clauses, such as distorting voice and face, their identity has not been disclosed to the public, and the same have had certain codes.

On February 4th 2022, the prosecution has closed its case and then Salih Mustaf's defense had filed a motion to drop the charges, but such a motion was rejected by the court.

In this case, it was subsequently prosecuted with the presentation of defence evidence, where the opening word was given on March 22nd and continued with the hearing of defence witnesses, where 15 witnesses were heard during all the trial.

Witnesses who have testified to the defense of Salih Mustaf were Nuredin Ibishi, Kapllan Parduz, Teuta Hadri, Hazir Borovci, Bislim Ndec, Fatmir Humoli, Fatmir Sopi, Shaqir Shqir Shkrim, Cerat Krasni, Muhamet Ajeti, Nazmi Verbovci, Ahmet Ademi, Brahim Mehmetaj, Ibadet Canolli- Kachiu and Musley Halimi.

In this case, it was pre-arranged for Salih Mustafa to make a statement without an oath, but the same had changed his mind and was not declared at the tribunal at all.

As of May 26, 2022, Salih Mustaf's defence announced the official closure of the evidence presentation. After presenting the final words in September 2022, where the prosecution demanded the unique sentence of 35 years, and protecting him from prosecution, the court had withdrawn for consultations and voting.

Judgment in this case has lasted 52 days, so sessions were held in 52 days. The judgment, on the other hand, ended a year after its start, specifically on September 15, 2022.

Otherwise, in this case, the number of participating victims has been 8, until the court, led by Mapie Veldt-Foglia, on February 4th, 2022, has made the decision, in which if Salih Mustafa is found guilty, the victims will not refer to Kosovo courts for damage, but will be issued for damage.

The confirmed “Acuza stipulates that approximately between April 1st 1999 and April 19, 1999, at a detention complex in Zlatko, Kosovo, arbitrary crimes, cruel treatment and torture against at least six people were committed. Also, the indictment says that on a date between April 19, 1999, or about this date, and about the end of April 1999, a detainee” was killed at that location, the Special Court announced through a communiqué.

Salih Mustafa was charged under various forms of criminal responsibility for: arbitrary ban, cruel treatment, torture and unlawful murder as war crimes committed in the context of the non-national armed conflict in Kosovo, or in connection with that conflict.