[Prishtina-E] FW: Albanian Prisoner Advocacy Newsletter 9/21/01

[kosova at jps.net]

Albanian Prisoner Advocacy
September 21, 2001
www.khao.org/appkosova.htm


IMPORTANT UPDATE on Albanian Prisoners!

Despite the dreadful news of the terrorist attacks in the USA, some progress
has been made on the Albanian prisoner issue. On September 11, 2001, we have
all had a horrific reminder of the urgency of preserving human freedom from
brutal and unlawful acts. We must get back to our lives and responsibilities
to help free others who are deprived of their basic liberty and freedoms.

On September 12,2001, Serb and Kosovar officials reached a transfer
agreement that guarantees the transfer of the approximately 200 remaining
Albanian prisoners to the jurisdiction of UNMIK in Kosova.

A new branch of UNMIK-- The Judicial International Administration will
oversee the transfer. UNMIK justice department administrator, John-Christian
Cady, has now a list of all detainees, including their location, and the
date and length of their sentences. Meanwhile, Serb Supreme Court president
Lepa Karamarkovic is collecting all the prison documents in preparation for
the transfer. However, there is still no agreed-upon date for the transfer
to take place. In addition, UNMIK leaders have discussed with Mr. Covic the
importance of dismantling the parallel judge system by which Milosevic
"moved" the courts of Kosova to various locations in Serbia and then tried
the Albanians with these artificial courts. Prisoner's cases will be
reviewed by UNMIK. Those who need to be in detention will be placed in the
renovated Dubrava Prison, where they will have immediate access to family
members, lawyers, and friends. The Dubrava Prison will be run in accordance
with international humanitarian standards.

While this news may sound positive to outsiders, anxious families in Kosova
have become increasingly fearful that somehow even this joint effort will
fail and their loved ones will not be released, especially because there is
not set date for the transfer to take place. Therefore, we urge all A-PAL
activists to continue their pressure on leaders everywhere to follow through
and make sure these people return home. It is sustained international
pressure that has brought about this agreement.

Now we must make sure that it takes place soon.


THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIRELESS EFFORTS IN KEEPING THE ALBANIAN PRISONER
ISSUE IN THE FOREFRONT OF INTERNATIONAL POLICY. WE WILL NOT STOP UNTIL THE
LAST ONE RETURNS TO KOSOVA. READ ON FOR DETAILS.........

__________________________________________________

Prisoners and their families still need support: regarding torture, housing,
rehabilitation and bribes for release, which still continue.

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Merita Mazreku recently visited the APP office in Prishtina. Her husband
Hasan is being held in Zajecar prison in Serbia, where he is serving a 6
year sentence along with this two brothers all from Drenoc near Decan.
Merita lost four brothers in the war and her father is missing. She has been
living for over 2 years in one room cleared of rubble in her bombed-out
house. She has four children ages 10, 9, 7, and 4. There are no doors or
windows in the house. Her neighbors give her money to feed and clothe the
children. She has received 110 Dm from the APP office but has no other
source of support.

A 33 year old man from Prishtina was released from prison in April. He had
been violently beaten in his pelvis during interrogation and also in prison.
A tumor began to grow on the site. When he was released and got home, the
tumor grew very quickly. It is now so large that he can no longer walk. A
biopsy has revealed that it is not malignant, but is pressing on nerves and
he is great pain. No doctors at Prishtina hospital are able to help him with
the surgery he needs.

Bedri Kukalaj's father repeatedly visited the APP office recently, worried
about his son's health. He said that the bullets from the Dubrava massacre
are still embedded in Bedri's jaw. The family has asked for a doctor to
visit him but the prison doctor has refused this. He was arrested in a
village near Decan in 1998. Three other Albanians were shot during the
arrest and died. Three others besides Bedri survived.

Released prisoner, Avni M, who was injured in the Dubrava Massacre came to
give his statement regarding the massacre and torture.

Avni was arrested in Junik in June, 1998. He was arrested in the woods for
bringing arms into Kosova. There he was beaten with rifles and clubs. Two
other men, one his brother, were executed on the spot. He was taken to
Gjakova Prison where he was tortured for six days, beaten with baseball bats
and was nearly kicked to death. Later he was wounded in the Dubrava Massacre
by a grenade in the courtyard. His arm was amputated in Prishtina Hospital
on June 2, 1999. Then he was taken to Lipjan Prison, but was again retured
to the hospital. He was left alone there until NATO forces arrived. His
house and everything in it was destroyed. He is now a member of the Baba Loc
Invalid Association in Decan.

Zejadin had come to Prishtina on May 19, 1999 because his village near
Podujevo was destroyed. He and his brothers were arrested in the city and
taken to the police station, where they were beaten all day with bats,
chairs, and fists. Then he was taken to Lipjan with 20 people and put in the
gymnasium with 300 others. There was no food and hardly any bread.
Conditions there were horrible. His whole body was black from bruises. His
brother Hussen was violently tortured in Lipjan, and beaten all over. His
spine was damaged from this. Their house was in Letanc but is completely
destroyed.

ESCAPE! BRIBES AND CORRUPTION CONTINUE!

Fehmi H. gave his statement. He was arrested on May 22, 1999 and entered
Kosova again in August, 2001. He was arrested in Vushtri where 400 people
were put in the sports hall while the security police took information. He
was then sent to prison where he was asked if he was in KLA. He said he was
not. They took him on the second floor and beat him. They drew up a
confessions saying he had shot policemen in five villages, but he denied it.
They had him handcuffed and took off his clothes. They beat him on the
genitals with wire. They poured water on him and beat him some more. Kicking
him and then put him in a cell where he couldn't sleep for two days. They
said they would shoot him because he wouldn't sign. He was sentenced to 11
years. His family paid 15,000 DM for a defense lawyer, but the lawyer did
nothing. In July 10, 2001, his case was reviewed in Krajleva and some Serb
witnesses came from Vushtri to testify against them. He didn't know them but
gave APP their names. He was then transfered to Smedereva Prison in Presevo
with three other Albanians. There 3 Serbs telephoned them and said for
20,000 DM a piece they could all be released. His family paid and he was
released and the four reentered Kosova illegally.

>From Drenoc. Lah Nitaj's brothers are both in Zajecar Prison. The family had
paid 20,000 DM each for the reduction of their sentence from 15
years(sentenced Feb. 2000) to 2.5 years in June 2001. Now he had been called
by two lawyers to say that they could be released now if they paid another
10,000 DM. UNHCHR investigated and they were released and are now home.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE ALBANIAN PRISONERS, visit:

	http://www.khao.org/appkosova.htm

	http://www.bndlg.de/~dbein/APP/