Euronews Albania: HRW's report on KLA crimes, witness narrowed down on trial

Claims of killing civilians from the KLA in September 1998 and reflected in the Human Rights Watch report have been taken by the Serbian side. This has been accepted by Frederic Abrahams by Human Rights Watch at the trial hearing of Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veselin, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi at Kosovo's Specialised Chambers in The Hague.

Thaci's lawyer, and Veselin's lawyer, Ben Emmerson, have rejected Abraham's findings, asking him to admit he made a mistake in his report.

They stressed that these findings were made on the basis of Serbian sources, which were not investigated and confirmed by Abraham's organisation. BAR Advertition ) 

Lawyer Emmerson has asked Abraham if he has received these claims of killing civilians by the KLA from the Serbian side.

That was his answer.

Lawyer Emmerson, after his response, told Abrahamas that “what you did is nothing but recycled Serbian propaganda, right?

The “should have been written differently”, Abrahamas said.

Lawyer Emmerson has demanded that the witness admit he has erred in his report, questioning the Serbian sources he has used.

Emmerson: When you're talking about the September 1998 assassination, did you understand that nobody was killed in that indictment?

Abrahams: “is badly formulated”.

Emmerson has stressed that the only correct assessment “is that lifeless bodies have been found in Glodjan in late 1998”.

Abrahams responded by saying his wording might be wrong, adding that “I should have written down the alleged suicides”.

Lawyer Emmerson has told him that it is not only ill-designed but entirely wrong, adding that “including 9 victims of the Serb murder have been expelled from the indictment”.

Also, Emmerson has asked Abrahamas: “You have not investigated the claims of Serbian authorities?

Abrahams: “We've made a thorough investigation... We've never introduced Glodjani's case at Radnikic Lake. ”

Lawyer Emmerson further asked Abraham if they went to the alleged murder scene by the KLA in September 1998.

Abrahams has responded by showing that they have tried to go to Radonic Lake, but have been stumbled.

What does the HRW report say about that period?

In a report titled “Humanitarian Law violations in Kosovo”, the international human rights organisation writes about “violations of the rules of war” and “abuses by KLA”.

“THROUGHOUT “U n The CK has committed violations of international humanitarian law, including hostage taking”.

In some cases, the report provides trial for the KLA. For example, in Klechka's case, it was said to be the worst “abuse of KLA” A little further in the same paragraph, the importance of an impartial “ ” is stressed.

On September 9th, police reportedly had found a number of bodies of persons killed by the NLA near Glodjan. By September 16th, authorities had gathered thirty-four troops, eleven of whom were identified, including some ethnic Albanians. Before that, the most serious abuse of The KLA included the reported execution of 20 and two Serb civilians in the village of Klechka, where police claimed they had discovered human remains and a furnace used for burning troops. The way the charges were filed, however, raises serious questions and underlines the importance of an investigation by an impartial forensic team, which should examine Kletchka, as well as other areas where executions were reported”, the report said.

“Albanian Chairmanship, known as the Kosovo Liberation Army ( KLA, Albanian, The KLA has also violated war laws with actions such as taking civil hostages and with executions of”, said in the report.

“Human Rights Watch” also says in that report that “U n The CK has also committed serious violations of international humanitarian law, including hostage taking and trial-free executions”.