Basic Court in Pec has decided to extend detention of Zoran Djokic (48) displaced person from this town for two more months, under allegations that he has committed a war crime against the civilian population during the conflict in Kosovo in 1999, Radio kontakt plus reports.

Djokic’s lawyer Ljubomir Pantovic told Radio kontakt plus that the acts of the court and prosecution in relation to his client are utterly unlawful and go to the detriment of Zoran Djokic.

“Although the law instructs all the bodies taking part in the criminal proceeding, while the person is detained, to act with particular urgency we have the situation where the Kosovo Special Prosecution in particular conducts the investigation with noticeable sluggishness and yet extends detention of my client. During the three months of detention, the prosecution carried out only three investigative acts which is more than insufficient and points out to the slow pace and breaching of the law to the detriment of Zoran Djokic,” Pantovic said.

He also noted the prosecution informs neither him nor his client about its requests to extend detention of Djokic, although it is their legal obligation.

Pantovic recalled that Zoran Djokic lived in Mitrovica North until 2015, where he worked for several non-governmental organizations, and even for the Kosovo Government respectively in the Ministry for Communities and Returns. Verification of his past was done earlier, and it was positive.

Kosovo police arrested Zoran Djokic on February 2 at the administrative crossing point of Jarinje, and transported him to Pec afterwards. He has been detained in special prison in Podujevo.