PRISHTINA, 23 SEPTEMBER 1993

SIX ALBANIANS FACE CRIMINAL CHARGES UNDER SFRY 'PENAL CODE'

Serbian-run Municipal Court in Prishtina has institued criminal proceedings against six Albanians, today's Prishtina-based Bujku reports. Zvonimir Maksimovic, public prosecutor, announced yesterday (Wednesday) that Agim Krasniqi a chairman of LDK branch in Prishtina and a former army officer, Fazli Maloku a member of presidency of LDK branch in Prishtina and Halit Rama, Xhelil Rama, Bilall Syla and Ibush Kelmendi who, prior to the beginning of the war in Slovenia were either army officers of former Yugoslav Army or former territorial defence units of Kosova, all from Prishtina but the last one (from Sllatina village of Fushe Kosova), are to face criminal charges for as he said "inciting the criminal act of an armed insurrection" in accordance with the article 124, paragraph 2 and 1 of the SFRY Penal Code. The accused have been detained within the last couple of weeks and have been extended their detention to 30 days each beginning from September 22. In the yesterday's hearing, the lawyers of the accused lod

ged objections over legal procedures and appraised it as a flagrant miscarriage of the law, as the accused were sentenced by the Municipal court without an introduction of the proceedings by the initial prosecutor which in this case is the Serbian State Security. The lawyers also said that they were denied visits to their clients. As to the arrest of Agim Krasniqi KIC learnt in the meantime that he was arrested not to serve out the 60-day sentence as we have reported yesterday, but for the above mentioned reasons. Similar charges were initiated against Adem Salihaj, chairman of the LDK branch in Ferzaj, and a deputy to the Parliament of Kosova. His lawyer, Rexhep Haxhimusa, said that investigations are under way, although no decision as to this has been made so far by the local Serb-led public prosecutor. It has been reported that Mr.Salihaj has been subjected to brutal torture while in custody.

CASES OF VARIOUS DISEASES FOUND AMONG THE POPULATION OF KOSOVA

Today's Prishtina-based Bujku reports that the Society of Young Researches of Kosova during an examination carried out in some territories of Kosova has located various disease and viruses. In the village of Gjilan, Prizren, Peje and some other areas where a partial examination was carried out, they located cases of tubercolosis, jaundices, also as Basri Pireva, head of the society says, cases where they found (...) were numerous, in almost every third house. Misfortune has a lot of villages, specially in the of Malisheve, Shalle e Bajgores, Drenice and Kamenice. Most families in these areas live in very bad living conditions, says Mr. Pireva. An examination will be carried out in other parts of Kosova as well where they expect similar results, adds Mr.Pireva.

FURTHER ARRESTS OF LDK ACTIVISTS

Serbian police yesterday (Wednesday) in (...) arrested Kadri Sha... chairman of the LDK branch in Junik, south-western part of Kosova. Today in the morning Serbian police arrested Ramadan Uka, chairman of the LDK sub-branch in the Dumnica village of Podujeva, north of Kosova. Reports that Serbian police has been obstructing LDK election process are been reaching KIC. Several indoor meetings were reported interrupted.