Kosovo Organ-Trafficking Defendants Deny Breaking Law (Balkan Insight)
In closing statements at the high-profile trial in Kosovo, the defence insisted that the kidney transplants at the Medicus clinic had no connection to people-trafficking as the indictment claims.
In its closing statements on Tuesday, the defence told Pristina Basic Court that the prosecution could not prove that the Medicus clinic owner, Lutfi Dervishi, was involved in organised crime in connection with people-trafficking.
Dervishi’s lawyer, Valon Hasani, said that the transplant of human organs is not related to people-trafficking unless it is carried out with the use of threats, force or kidnapping.
Hasani added that the prosecution did not claim that his client used any of these methods.
The lawyer argued that the sale and purchase of human organs was not a criminal offence.