49 Ethnic Albanians Released in two days

29 January 2000

Four separate trials held in Pozarevac on 27 and 29 January resulted in

the release of 49 Kosovo Albanian prisoners and detainees. They will

all be escorted to Kosovo this weekend by represenljaj, Hafir Rudaj, Hisni Krasniqi,

Sejdij Haziraj, Semsi Galopeni, Ramadan Kokolari, Dzavid Krasniqi,

Bajram Bajraj and Baskim Haziraj, who were all sentenced to one year and

four months and discharged because of jail credit. They were accused of

digging trenches, erecting obstacles, standing guard and observing the

movements of Serbian police forces in Suva Reka Township and passing the

information to the KLA. Hajrula Krasniqi, who is blind, was also

accused of observing the movements of police forces. Two men who were

also indicted together with this group - Sahit Krasniqi and Nedzat

Kokolari - were killed at the Dubrava Correctional-Penitentiary

Institution in May 1999, while Zenelj Zeneljaj was tried and convicted

in absentia.

The third group consists of 12 Albanians: Sokolj Gasi, Kadria, Bekim,

Namik, Skender, Abedin and Feket Morina, Aziz and Taci Sabria, and

Skender Morina who were sentenced to one year and four months and

discharged owing to jail credit. The prosecutor dropped the charges

against Adem and Sait Gasi. Bekim Kabasi from Opterusa in Orahovac

Township was acquitted of rape and terrorism while Safet and Seat Kabasi

were sentenced to 14 years and Kaplan Mazreku to 10 years in prison for

the same offenses. The remaining nine Albanians were convicts discharged

after serving their sentences.