OSCE cooperates with Chief Prosecution

(KTV)

Chief State Prosecutor Aleksandër Lumezi received the new Ambassador of the OSCE in Kosovo, Jan Braathu, to an introduction meeting, an official statement of the Prosecution states, online version of KTV reports.

Initially, Chief Prosecutor Lumezi congratulated Ambassador Braathu for the post of OSCE Ambassador.

Among others, the cooperation between OSCE and State Prosecutor’s Institution was also discussed during this meeting, same as coordination of joint activities between these institutions.

The two parties expressed their willingness to engage in advancement of cooperation in all issues that State Prosecutor and the OSCE can cooperate, namely in organisation of trainings for prosecutors, on concrete issues, which would impact on professional advancement of prosecutors.

Crimes in Kosovo and Albania decreasing

(RTK2, TV21)

Based on the document published on Tuesday by the Kosovo and Albanian Police, there is a decrease of crimes in these two countries.

Kosovo Police launched the strategic document titled “Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment – SOCTA” jointly prepared by the Kosovo and Albanian Police.

In this report were presented the statistics on Kosovo and Albania regarding organised crime, sequestration of narcotic substances, trafficking in human beings, corruption, murders and attempted murders. A decrease of these serious criminal offences is notable in both Kosovo and Albania in this report that covers the period between 2012 and 2015.

Aside from the senior Kosovo Police officials, officials of the Albanian State Police, Europol and OSCE also took part in presentation of this report.

Referring to SOCTA document, Kosovo Police Deputy-Director Naim Rexha said these two Police forces will professionalise in the future. He also said that a safer environment for Kosovo citizens will be created through this document.

For the Director General for Investigation of Organised and Serious Crime of the Albanian state Police, Ardian Çipa, cooperation of Kosovo Police with the Albanian one is the biggest value of this project.

Maryse Chureau of the Europol team for strategic analysis said that all must coordinate in order to stop organised crimes which, according to her, are threatening the peace of countries in the region.

On the other hand, Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Ambassador Jan Braathu, said that SOCTA report is a result of a long activity which has been taken jointly by the Kosovo Police and Albanian Police with the support of the OSCE Mission, Europol and others.

SOCTA document, which was presented by Riza Shillova, Director of Investigation Department in Kosovo Police, shows that according to police data on sequestration of narcotic substances in both Albania and Kosovo during 2015, a drastic decrease of the amount of sequestrated heroin is noted.

Ymeri: We will not leave a stone unturned to bring justice for Astrit in place

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)

“Rest in peace, because one day all of these will come true. Be sure Astrit that justice, complete liberty and self-determination will come,” were the last words that Avni Dehari addressed to his late son on the commemoration ceremony organised in his honour.

Dehari called for justice for the death of his son to be put in place.

Vetëvendosje Movement chairperson, Visar Ymeri, said that the regime installed in Kosovo has direct responsibility for Astrit’s murder. Same as Astrit’s father, Ymeri also promised that they will not leave a stone unturned to bring justice for Astrit in place.

In the meantime, hundreds of citizens joined the protesting march for justice. Organised by the student organisation of University of Pristina, citizens marched in main Prishtinë/Pristina squares to pay homage in front of the coffin of former VV activist. He was buried in Zllatar village of Prishtinë/Pristina.

Vetëvendosje MP Albin Kurti said that in a democratic state and in a state of law, one should be safe in prison, while in Kosovo, according to him, they murder you.

Recordings of surveillance cameras evidence for Astrit Dehari’s death

(KTV)

MP Albin Kurti explained the asphyxiation which was said to have been the cause for the death of Vetëvendosje Movement’s activist, Astrit Dehari. According to Kurti, Dehari was choked with a strong device, which in this case is a plastic bottle.

During Tuesday, Council for the Defence of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF) published a report regarding Dehari’s death, which includes a statement of Naser Makolli, who shared the same prison cell together with Dehari and two others, and he was the first one to reach the cell after the break. At about 15:00hrs, Makolli found Dehari lying on his back and he had a plastic bottle of honey in his mouth.

KTV requested a response from the Ministry of Justice regarding the possibility of case investigation by a foreign team and if such a practice was ever been applied, but it did not get a response during the day.

Petrit Zogaj of FOL Movement called for investigation of this case by FBI, which helped in Kosovo with investigation of an earlier case, the Dino Asanaj case.

In the meantime, Prosecutor of Prizren Basic Prosecution Metush Biraj told KTV over the phone that they are treating the case with seriousness, while he said that recordings of surveillance cameras, located within the Prizren Detention Centre, have been taken as evidence.

Reactions regarding Dehari’s death continue

(RTK1 & KTV)

The United States Ambassador in Kosovo, Greg Delawie, reacted regarding Astrit Dehari’s death in Prizren prison, where the Vetëvendosje member was being kept in custody.

“Deaths in custody are always troubling; important to get the facts. I welcome the proposal of Ministry of Justice’s for inclusion of independent observers in investigation,” Ambassador Delawie wrote in Twitter.

The United Kingdom Ambassador to Kosovo, Ruairí O’Connell, also reacted, online version of KTV reported.

“I extend my sympathy, and those of my Government, to the family and friends of Astrit Dehari. We urge the Kosovo authorities to ensure that there is a speedy and transparent investigation into the circumstances of his death,” O’Connell wrote in his Facebook account.

Meanwhile, the AAK chairperson Ramush Haradinaj said that someone must be held accountable regarding Astrit Dehari’s death case in Prizren Detention Centre, RTK1 reported.

Veseli: EU unfairly keeps Kosovo citizens isolated

(TV21)

In the meeting with the Croatian Ambassador to Kosovo, Marija Kapitanovic, Speaker of the Kosovo Assembly Kadri Veseli said that the European Union is unfairly keeping Kosovo citizens isolated.

On the other hand, Kapitanovic said Croatia supports visa liberalisation for the citizens of Kosovo and Kosovo’s membership in international organizations.

Chabert urges Srpska List to return to Assembly

(RTK2)

Srpska List caucus leader, Slavko Simic, received the new Ambassador of France to Kosovo, Didier Chabert.

Ambassador Chabert called on Serb MPs to take the efficient steps and establish communication with the ruling partners in the Government. He urged Serb representatives to return to the Assembly of Kosovo as soon as possible.

On the other hand, Director of the Office for Kosovo at the Serbian Government, Marko Djuric, said that no one has the right to preach to Kosovo Serb political representatives, if they should, or when they should return to the institutions.

Djuric said that there are certain politicians in Prishtinë/Pristina who want to preach to Serb representatives about the stance they should take. According to him, no one should judge on behalf Serbs as what issues are at their interest.

VV accuses Lipjan/Lipljan prison authorities of terrorising their activist

(KTV)

Through a press release issued on Tuesday, Vetëvendosje Movement (VV) stated that their activist, Atdhe Arifi, is being psychologically terrorized in Lipjan/Lipljan prison.

“With deep concern we have received the information that Atdhe Arifi, unjustly imprisoned, is being constantly terrorized by Lipjan/Lipljan prison authorities,” reads VV’s release.

Furthermore, Vetëvendosje said that Arifi’s family reported that Atdhe is being constantly provoked by the prison officials, by entering his cell during the night with flashlights and telling him ‘Do not murder yourself, as Astrit did!”.

Therefore, VV requests immediate release of their two activists, Egzon Haliti and Atdhe Arifi, as according to them, “prisons of this regime are not safe environments for prisoners”.

On the other hand, Kosovo Correctional Service (KCS) expressed its concern for the ungrounded statements and accusations addressed to Correctional Service officers in Lipjan/Lipljan Detention Centre.

In its press release, KCS emphasizes that there is no ‘terrorization’ or improper behaviour by correctional officers against the detainees, the online version of this broadcaster reported.

CEC confirms names of two new MPs

(KTV)

PDK MP Fadil Demaku will be replaced by Nehat Baftiu. This was officially confirmed at the meeting of the Central Election Commission (CEC), while MP Ramiz Kelmendi will be replaced by Fatmir Shurdhaj.

CEC decided to replace these MPs, following a request made by Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi.

Lladrovci is PDK’s candidate for mayor of Gllogovc/Glogovac

(RTK1)

PDK Presidency in Gllogovc/Glogovac has nominated Ramiz Lladrovci, the current Ambassador of Kosovo to Albania, as its candidate for the early municipal elections set to be held on 04 December, 2016.

Following his nomination, Lladrovci presented his resignation letter from Ambassador’s post in Albania to the respective authorities, RTK online version reported.