[A-PAL] Kostunica : Judge or Judged?

[kosova at jps.net]

Albanian Prisoner Advocacy List -- Prisoner Pals Newsletter
February 9, 2002

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A-PAL STATEMENT:
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Just who exactly is in charge of not releasing the 157 to 180 remaining
Albanian prisoners? Is it President Kostunica? From our archives:

Statement made on February 7, 2001:
	"This week, the Serb Parliament passed the amnesty law. It was announced
yesterday the law will release only 108 of the remaining 580 prisoners. The
lack of transparency throughout this whole process has been disappointing as
well. The Yugoslav Ministry of Justice has promised a "speedy" review of
cases that had no proper evidence. But this speedy review comes without a
timetable of any kind.
	"Those convicted without any evidence will be pardoned," Momcilo Grubac
said, adding that Mr. Kostunica was the one to make the final decision."

Speedy? Now, a year later, it is Kostunica ultimately who is behind the
political gamesmanship in delaying the release of the Albanians in the hopes
of gaining money and political favors from the EU and US. His treatment of
these people is illegal and we support efforts by relatives to press charges
against Serb leadership and courts for torture, disappearance, inhumane
treatment, kidnapping, and extortion. Nebosja Covic is also an active player
in this strategic shell game, playing with people's lives for personal and
political gain.

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A-PAL AND APP FRIENDS SPEAK OUT FOR THE FREEDOM OF THE 190+ ALBANIANS

STILL IN SERB PRISONS. One prisoner, ELEZ HAXHALLARI, has been removed from
Nish Prison this week and his whereabouts are unknown. Please include this
in your letters.

Arben Xhafieri of Tetove, president of the PDSH party in Macedonia, has
asked Serb Foreign Minister Svilanovic to release the remaining prisoners.

KOSOVA SWEDEN FRIENDSHIP UNION PRESSES CHARGES FOR KIDNAPPING AGAINST
PRESIDENT KOSTUNICA.-- By Anders Wessman

The chairman of Sweden-Kosov@ Friendship Association, Anders Wessman and the
person standing for the charges, Idriz Zogaj urges all Albanians that have
friends or relatives still detained in Serb prisons, to do the same thing.
This would put pressure on the new so called democratic leadership in Serbia
to do the only right thing, grant freedom to the kidnapped ones.

It would also isolate Vojislav Kostunica, since he can't travel to the
countries were charges have been pressed since he there would stand the
chance to be arrested and to have to participate in a trial.

He did it once for Dr. Flora Brovina, so he could do it for them all, 194
still kidnapped persons. We urge specially to Kosovars who it may concern
and who lives in USA to press charges against Kostunica. Together we stand
strong, alone we parish away and no one will remember our existence! If we
could make him international wanted it would be a big support for the
release of the hostage.

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Open Letter: SWEDEN KOSOVA FRIENDSHIP UNION PRESS CHARGES AGAINST KOSTUNICA
FOR KIDNAPPING AND TORTURE.--Anders Wessman and Idriz Zogaj 2/9/02

On Saturday the 2 of February Sweden-Kosov@ Friendship Union made a rally at
the Gothenburg Film Festival because of the show of the film "Children
(Kosovo 2000)". We decided to change our opinion regarding raising money to
the Serbian authorities for the release of the kidnapped Kosovar parents.
This since we have been getting letter from APP-USA their it is stated that
UN appeal to the public to not pay the ransom. Instead we decided to support
financial aid for the Kosovar children who has their parents in Serbian
jail.

At the same date Sweden-Kosov@ Friendship Union decided to appeal to the
international public to support charges against Serb president Vojilsav
Kostunica.

One of the member of the board of Sweden-Kosov@ Friendship Union, Idriz
Zogaj, decided act direct by pressing charges at the same day against
Serbian president Vojislav Kostunica, responsible for keeping his cousin's
husband Shaban Kabashi as a hostage for ransom in Serbian jail.

This has also been noted in the Tuesday 5th of February edition of
 “Rilindja”. The charges were pressed for keeping innocent

Albanians imprisoned in Serbian jail. This can only be regarded as keeping
kidnapped Kosovars in Serbian jail according to the organization
Sweden-Kosov@ Friendship Union. This because that friends and relatives have
to pay up to 9.000 US Dollar to the Serbian authorities for the release of
their loved ones.

The chairman of Sweden-Kosov@ Friendship Association, Anders Wessman and the
person standing for the charges, Idriz Zogaj urges all Albanians that have
friends or relatives still detained in Serb prisons, to do the same thing.
This would put pressure on the new so called democratic leadership in Serbia
to do the only right thing, grant freedom to the kidnapped ones.

It would also isolate Vojislav Kostunica, since he can’t travel to the
countries were charges have been pressed since he there would stand the
chance to be arrested and to have to participate in a trial.

The 5th of November 2001 the Serb president signed a document for the
transfer of the kidnapped to UNMIK custody. This is yet to be accomplished.

Please do not forget these, our last victims of the war. Help them by being
their voice in the world, press charges against the Serbian leader who is
able to release the hostage by a presidential decree if he wants to do so.

He did it once for dr. Flora Brovina so he could do it for them all, 194
still kidnapped persons.

We urge specially to Kosovars who it may concern and who lives in USA to
press charges against Kostunica. This because the President of Serbia
according to our sources are right now in USA


Together we stand strong, alone we perish away and no one will remember our
existence! If we could make him international wanted it would be a big
support for the release of the hostage.

Sincerely
Idriz Zogaj
Member of the board, Sweden-Kosov at Friendship Union
+ 46 (0) 707 - 97 15 06 Idriz_zogaj at yahoo.com

Anders Wessman
Chairman of the board, Sweden-Kosov@ Friendship Union
+46 707 65 20 58
sweden_kosov at spray.se

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KËSHILLI PËR MBROJTJEN E TË DREJTAVE E TË LIRIVE TË NJERIUT
COUNCIL FOR THE DEFENCE OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS
Prishtina,Kosova 2/6/02
COMMUNIQUE

The international authorities prevent the activists of the CDHRF from
visiting those in detention in the prisons of Kosova
Within its activities, the Council for the Defence of Human Rights and
Freedoms has requested to be allowed to visit a number of prisons in Kosova
in order to get informed about the conditions in which prisoners are being
kept.

The most recent case was on February 6, 2002. On this day, a delegation of
the CDHRF was invited by the officials of the District Prison in Prishtina
to visit Sali Veseli, a high-ranking officer of the TMK.

At the spot, the representatives of the CDHRF were told that the visit could
not take place. CDHRF states that this is a violation of their right to
carry out the activities envisaged in a number of UNMIK regulations.

CDHRF has requested to be allowed to visit Sali Veseli (but was denied the
right to do so). Within these efforts, a delegation of the CDHRF met with a
number of officials dealing with the management of prisons. The activists of
the CDHRF were told that there is no need for such visits (they were told
that they can get all the information they require from the prison
authorities). Such an attitude hinders the work of HR NGOs and is in
opposition to the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the European
Convention on Human Rights.

A similar problem is related to the fact that no visits are allowed to those
who are being kept in detention at the Bondsteel military camp in Sojeva.
CDHRF has submitted a number of requests to be allowed to visit the
prisoners there but has never received an answer. CDHRF informed the former
head administrator of Kosova, the Ombudsperson, the UNHCHR and other HR
organizations on the problems it is facing during its work. CDHRF would like
to inform the public opinion that despite its efforts to visit those who are
being kept in detention, in order to get informed about the conditions in
which they are being kept, it has been prevented in doing so by the
authorities administering with these institutions.

Prishtina, February 6, 2002
Information Service

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