[A-PAL] A-PAL Newsletter 4/18/01

[Alice Mead]

A-PAL NEWSLETTER (ALBANIAN PRISONER ADVOCACY)
April 18, 2001


        RELEASE BEDRI KUKALAJ AND KUMRIE VOCAJ!

  At this point, it seems that all those were to be released from 
Serbian prisons under the Amnesty Law have arrived home. This leaves 
approximately 70 to 80 political prisoners, many of them from the 
Rahovec area, arrested in 1998. There are also about 100 prisoners 
detained on criminal charges from before the NATO war. We hope and 
expect that the 143 Gjakova prisoners will be released soon after 
their appeal  in the Serb Supreme Court April 23-26.
Until now, we did not advocate for the release of specific prisoners. 
But now that approach  seems useful. There are certain cases we feel 
that warrant immediate action.

Please forward this information to your local and international 
leaders, as well as human rights NGO's.

1. Kumrie Vocaj-age 22. Female prisoner in Pozharevac Prison. 
Arrested at age 14 in 1992, imprisoned for eight years, she has never 
been on trial. She has had no family contact. She should be released 
immediately.
2. Bedri  Kukalaj-age 23. Sentenced to 10 yrs. for terrorism. Shot in 
the head at the Dubrava Massacre in May, 1999, shattering his jaw and 
eye. He has had two operations, but has sent a desperate plea for 
release. He is in Belgrade Prison. Periodically has to receive IV 
treatment because he is unable to eat. He fears for his life. He 
should be released immediately for humanitarian reasons.

Other individual cases that warrant dismissal-
1. Bekim Kastrati-age 33. Worked for OSCE in Prishtina. Arrested 3 
days after the NATO war began. Sentenced to 14 yrs. for terrorism. 
The EU wrote asking for his release on 11/16/00. He is in Prokuplje 
Prison.
2. Luan and Bekim Mazreku-cousins. Nish Prison. Both in Dubrava 
Massacre. Now on trial but arrested in 1998. How can anyone provide a 
fair trial to those persons who they tried to massacre? Are they 
innocent until proven guilty? Or guilty until proven innocent?
3. Ismet Berbati-age 31. Peje. Father of five. In Dubrava Massacre. 
Arrested in 1998. Investigated but never tried.
4. Nexhat Brahimi-age 27, In very poor health. Nish Prison. No sentence?
5. Naim Haziraj-age 29. Arrested in 1998. Zajecar Prison. No sentence?
6. Albin Kurti-age 26. Convicted without evidence. Irregular trial. 
Sentenced to 15 yrs. Dismissal recommended by Yugoslav Lawyers for 
Human Rights on April 4, 2001.
7. Besim Zymberi-age 33. In Dubrava Massacre. Poor health. Belgrade 
Prison. Sentenced to 14 yrs.
8. Nexhmedin Berisha-age 48, arrested 1998. No trial?

Arrested in 1998 and sentenced to 3 years:
1. Daut Mustafa-age 42. Believed to be in Nish or Vranje Prison.
2. Nazmi Ahmeti-age 38. Nish Prison.
3. Xhalim Mustafa-age 51. Vranje Prison.

In Nish military prison?-Asllan Sopi-age 21. From Gjilan. Sentenced 
to 20 yrs. Transfer to a regular prison pending review. No one has 
been allowed access to military prisons.

Two women in Pozharevac on criminal charges-Transfer to Kosova. 
Harassment and ethnic discrimination are constant in Pozharevac.

DUBRAVA MASSACRE SURVIVORS STILL IN PRISON:
1. Nait Hasani-age 36. Wounded badly. Sentenced to 20 yrs.
2. Xhavit Kolgeci-age 27. Sentenced to 11 yrs. Nish Prison.
3. Milazim Kolgeci-age 40. Sentenced to 12 yrs. Nish Prison.
4. Aslan Lumi-age 48. Sentenced to 12 yrs. Nish Prison.
5. Besim Rama-age 36. Sentenced to 20 yrs. Nish Prison.
6. Ismet Berbati-age 31. No trial. Nish Prison.
7. Besim Zymberi-age 33. Sentenced to 14 yrs. Belgrade Prison.
8. Agim Recica-age 38. Sentenced to 13 yrs. Belgrade Prison.
9. Ejup Salihu-age 27. Sentenced to 5 yrs. Belgrade Prison.
10. Luan Mazreku-age 23. Still on trial. Nish Prison.
11. Bekim Mazreku-age 23. Still on trial. Nish Prison.
12. Idriz Asllani- age 48. Sentenced to 15 yrs. Location unknown.
13. Bedri Kukalaj-age 23. Sentenced to 10 yrs. Belgrade Prison.

The Dubrava Massacre took place near Istok, Kosova, May 21-23, 1999. 
The ICTY investigation on this massacre will be out in a few months. 
Hopefully these prisoners will be free when that happens.

The problem of prisoners from Rahovec: Mostly arrested in 1998, many 
of the remaining 25-30 prisoners from Rahovec are without court 
documents or clear record of what is going on with them. Listed here 
are the ones we know about:
1, Arif Morina-age 25. Arrested 1999. 5 yrs. Vranje Prison
2. Agim Kastrati-
3. Bilall Durguti-age 27. Arrested 1998. 5 yrs. Nish Prison?
4. Daut Bytyqi
5. Daut Mustafa-age 42. Arrested 1998.  Sentenced to 3 yrs.
6. Fadil Morina-age 42. Arr. 1998. Sentenced to 5yrs. Vranje Prison.
7. Gezim Krasniqi-age 39. Arr. 1998. Sentenced to 5 yrs. Vranje.
8. Hajredin Zyberaj-age 32. Arr. 1998. Sentenced to 10 yrs. Smedereve Prison.
9. Isak Hoti-age 27. Arr. 1998. Sentenced to 5.5 yrs. Nish Prison.
10.   Imer Nitaj-age 32. Arr. 1999 in Montenegro. Sentenced to 15 
yrs. Zajecar Prison.
11. Milazim Morina-age 39. Arr. 1998. Sentenced to 5 yrs. Vranje.
12. Murteza Hoti-age 37. Arr. 1999. Sentenced to 5 yrs.
13. Mazulum Hoti-age 40. Arr. 1998. 5 yrs. Vranje Prison.
14. Nexmedin Berisha-age 48. Arr. 1998. No sentence? Vranje Prison.
15. Nisret Hoti-age 29. Arr. 1998. 4 yrs. Belgrade Prison.
16. Qazim Morina-age 47. Arr. 1998. No sentence? Vranje Prison
17. Rashit Morina
18. Safet Kabashi-age 29. Arr. 1998. No sentence?
19. Shefqet Makshana-Arr. 9/1999. Sentenced to 15 yrs. Nish.
20. Syleman Morina-
21. Sokol Morina- age 55.  Arr. 1998. Sentenced to 5 yrs. Nish.
22. Tahir Ibrahimaj- age 26. Arr. 1998. Sentenced to 12 yrs. Nish.
23. Vehbi Muhareni-age 33.   Sentenced to 8 yrs. Nish Prison.
24. Ylber Zyberaj- age 34. Sentenced to 10 yrs.  In Prokuplje Prison 
or Nish Prison
25. Xhalim Mustafa-age 51. Arr. 1998. Sentenced to 3 yrs. Vranje Prison.
26. Xhemali Berisha-age 47.  Arr. 1998. Sentenced to 10 yrs. Leskovac Prison.
Also-Nazmi Ahmeti, Lufti Vocaj, Xhavit Kolgeci, Aslan Lumi
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