28 January 2000

Humanitarian Law Center records show that 10 ethnic Albanian minors are

still being held in custody in correctional-penitentiary institutions in

Serbia and, in violation of the Criminal Procedure Code, are housed

together with adults. All were arrested while the state of emergency

was in force in Serbia.

A group of Kosovo Albanians, including three minors û Kujtim Lekaj from

Djakovica, Hasim Dukaj from Drenovac, Djakovica Township, and Fidan

Dervishaj from Glodjane, De?ani Township - are to go on trial before the

District Court in Leskovac on 28 January this year. Contrary to the law,

they will be tried together with adults. The three boys were detained

by members of the Yugoslav Army on 17 April last year when they reached

Plav, Montenegro, after walking several days through the mountains.

HLC Executive Director Natasa Kandic says several hundred Kosovo

Albanian civilians who were arrested by Serbian forces during the state

of emergency in retaliation for the AlbaniansÆ support of the

international military intervention in FR Yugoslavia, are still in

custody and include 10 minors. She said they were in prison for

political reasons and that it was high time for the democratic

opposition in Serbia to show interest in political prisoners. ôThey are

all in prison for political reasons and the democratic opposition in

Serbia should work for their release instead of pretending to have no

knowledge of this,ö said Ms Kandic.