HLC Concerned Over Kosovo Government Treatment of War Criminals

Humanitarian Law Center

The Humanitarian Law Centre expressed its concern over the statements and behaviour of Kosovo�s Prime Minister regarding the guilty verdict of general Selim Krasniqi for war crimes against civilian population.

HLC believes that Prime Minister Agim Cheku�s statements are in direct collision with the principles of the rule of law and independent judiciary, which is one of the �goals that independent Kosovo aims to achieve�.

The International Chamber of the District Court in Gnjilane sentenced three high ranking officers of the Kosovo Protection Corps for the their role in the crimes against civilians in Drenica, in 1998. Krasniqi, Bedri Zimberi and Agron Krasniqi were all sentenced to seven years in prison.

HLC Kosovo Office criticized Agim Cheku for his visit to the convicted general, who was temporarily released from custody, and his statement that �Kosovo needs guys like Krasniqi�.

"Cheku thus sends a message to the public that some citizens of Kosovo, such as Selim Krasniqi, are in fact above the Law and that they are needed in Kosovo, in spite of the fact that they were convicted of war crimes�, states HLC.

HLC also warns that general Suleiman Selimi, the KPC commanding officer, with his visit to general Krasniqi �shows to the public that this institution supports its members convicted of war crimes, which hardly contributes to creation of democratic institutions in Kosovo�.