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Kosova: Albin Kurti trial adjourned to 22 February

21. February 2010

On February 10, 2007, the leader of the movement for Self-Determination for Kosova (Vetevendosje!), Albin Kurti, was arrested by the police from UNMIK – at that time the of the rulers of Kosova under the name United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo – accused of being responsible for UNMIK-police force killing of two demonestratorts and the wounding of several others.

Albin Kurti is arrested on February 10, 2007:

Since then Albin Kurti’s trial has been postposed several times. But now when the rulers of Kosova are the the trial of the European Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULUX) (and to a muck lesser degree the so-called government of Kosova) there might be a chance to get Albin Kurti isolated from having an influence in near future of what is going on in Kosova.

The headline at the top is the official Website from EULEX that February 15 among others wrote:

“Today, in the District Court of Pristina, a mixed panel of EULEX and Kosovo judges decided to adjourn the trial of Mr Albin Kurti to 22 February 2010.

“The reason for the postponement was to provide the defendant with a fair amount of time in order to prepare his defence, in line with the relevant provisions of the code of criminal procedure. The defendant Albin Kurti was actually only summoned on 9,

“Mr. Kurti is accused of participating in a crowd committing a criminal offence; participating in a group obstructing official persons in performing official duties and calling for resistance. These three offences were allegedly committed on the occasion of the demonstrations of 10 February 2007 in Pristina.”

From our friends in Vetevendosje we have received another explanation of what happened. The mail has to following headline and contents:

The trial of Albin Kurti begins, 15th February 2010

Today the political EULEX trial of the leader of Lëvizja VETËVENDOSJE!, Albin Kurti, began.

The first session was held at 10:00 in the Prishtina District Court in Prishtina. The judging panel is constituted by Ferdinando Buatier de Mongeot, Fllanza Kadiu and Vladimir Kanev. The Prosecutor is Lulzim Sylejmani.

The judging panel decided to delay the trial until the 22nd February, because, as was made known, Albin Kurti did not participate in this fabricated legal process. According to the judging panel, Albin Kurti was delivered a court summons on 9th February, and therefore, on the basis of their procedures, eight days must pass from the moment that the summons was received. Today, 15th February, is the sixth day from the receipt of the summons. Tomorrow is the seventh day, whereas the day after tomorrow, there is no court session because of the independence holiday, so the eighth day should be the 18th February. But, in the same way that the legal process is political motivated, so this delay has a clear political background. On 19 February, the EU High Representative Catherine Ashton is visiting Kosova, and so the court session for Albin Kurti, has been delayed to 22nd February. EULEX does not want its boss to be aware of the discontent amongst the people with EULEX.

Before the court session was adjourned until 22nd February, the defense lawyer, assigned ex officio by EULEX, Ramiz Krasniqi, spoke. He said: “Having studied the indictment, the prosecution materials and bearing in mind the previous trial of Mr.Kurti, and also the position of EULEX toward Mr. Kurti, it is my conviction that Mr. Kurti will not receive a fair trial from this court, and that his case is politically motivated”.

According to him, this case is unjust, emphasizing that “the indictment and the evidence presented by the prosecutor are so weak, that it is clear that this case is motivated by the goal of restricting Mr.Kurti’s opposition toward international missions, and not by the goal of achieving justice in relation to crimes committed on 10 February 2007”.

Mr. Krasniqi said that EULEX, like UNMIK, could not offer Albin Kurti a fair trial. And after mentioning the compromised UNMIK legal process against Albin Kurti during 2007, Ramiz Krasniqi waived himself from his duties as defense lawyers in the case against Albin Kurti, saying that “by my withdrawal, I distance myself from this process, which from the beginning was based on the same indictment and charges as before”.

Ramiz Krasniqi also stated his solidarity with all the lawyers who did not participate in the process led by UNMIK before and from EULEX today, stating that “my withdrawal is also an act in solidarity with my colleagues, who together refused to act as defense for Albin Kurti two years ago”.

Finally, Mr. Krasniqi explained his withdrawal as moral and based on professional ethics, which call on all lawyers to serve justice and to fight injustice. He said: “This case should never have been opened. It is my belief in my professional ethics that does not allow me to do other than to withdraw from this case”. After this statement, the judging panel met outside the court for 10 minutes. They later took a decision not to accept the reasons given by Mr. Krasniqi for his resignation.

Lëvizja VETËVENDOSJE! welcomes the resignation of Ramiz Krasniqi and calls on all lawyers of Kosova not to contribute to the progress of this unjust trial, and not accept to being defense lawyers for Albin Kurti. We also ask the trial Prosecutor Lulzim Sylejmani, to throw out the unsupported charges in the UNMIK indictment in the process now led by EULEX, in order to close this shameful trial, which is contrary to fundamental human rights, as well as contrary to rights of expression, the demonstration of political belief, freedom of assembly and peaceful protest. We call on all judges and prosecutors of Kosova not to be part of this EULEX plan which has nothing to do with achieving justice for the case of 10th February 2007.

Committee of Lëvizja VETËVENDOSJE! (Movement for Self-Determination) for political and judicial issues
Prishtina, 15 February 2010

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