Serb court sentences 143 Kosovo Albanians to prison

Dragan Ilic

Monday, May 22, 2000 | 9 a.m.

NIS, Yugoslavia - In the biggest mass trial ever in Serbia, a court today convicted 143 Kosovo Albanians of terrorism charges and sentenced them to up to 13 years in prison.

The court in Nis, about 120 miles south of Belgrade, ruled that the group, all from the southeastern Kosovo town of Djakovica, took part in attacks against Serb police during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia last spring.

The Djakovica Albanians gave shelter to rebels from the Kosovo Liberation Army and joined the fighters in attacking Serb forces in the town in April and May 1999, when three policemen were killed and more than 10 were wounded, the court alleged.

The judge, Goran Petronijevic, said "all the convicted have been proven to have joined the KLA during the bombing." Petronijevic said the sentences were based on the testimony by the military and police.

He said 300 people had initially been arrested, but half were released.

During the trial that opened last month, all 143 defendants denied the charges, saying they were randomly picked up from the streets by Serb police.

"This is a political decision," lawyer Teki Bokshi said. "This is a catastrophe. Innocent people have been convicted ... because they did not show loyalty to the authorities."

Most ethnic Albanians in Kosovo supported the KLA-led rebellion against Serb rule in the predominantly Albanian province in 1998-99. The Serb government launched a brutal crackdown to curb the rebellion, triggering the NATO attacks.

The 78 days of airstrikes forced Serb troops out of Kosovo in June and paved the way for NATO deployment in the province. About 2,000 ethnic Albanian inmates then were transferred to central Serbia, and hundreds have been sentenced to prison.

Of the 143 convicted, 100 received 12- and 13-year prison terms. Ten ethnic Albanians who reportedly admitted the charges and two defendants who were less than 18 received seven-year prison terms. The remaining 31 received nine- and 10-year terms.

Charges initially were filed against two others, who later were placed under psychiatric observation.

Another defense lawyer, Oliver Lazarevic, said his team will appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court.

"I believe that the Supreme Court will cut down the sentences because they are innocent people caught in the storm of the times. I hope they will all be home with their families soon," Lazarevic said.