Kosovo prosecutors are discussing amending the criminal procedure code so that they could try war crimes suspects in absentia, as an extradition deal with Serbia seems unlikely.
Kosovo’s judicial authorities are considering changes to the criminal code in order to prosecute war crimes suspects in absentia, as they see little chance of Kosovo signing an agreement with Serbia on judicial cooperation.
Experts told BIRN that hundreds of Serbian suspects in war crimes cases would be prosecuted if Pristina could try them in absentia.
Kosovo Chief Prosecutor Aleksander Lumezi said on Tuesday, after a meeting with Justice Minister Abelard Tahiri and Special Prosecution chief Reshat Millaku, that he was seeking to amend the criminal code to solve the problem of oustanding war crimes files.
The Kosovo criminal procedure code does not currently allow trials in absentia because, under the law, they violate the defendants’ rights to access documents and defend themselves.
