War crimes trial in Kosovo: Witnesses recount torture and persecution

PRISTINA, Kosovo (MNTV) – The trial of Milorad Djokovic, accused of committing war crimes against civilians during the Kosovo war, has resumed in Pristina, Kosovo, with witnesses recounting harrowing experiences of mass arrests, torture, and killings allegedly carried out by Serbian forces in 1998-1999.

Djokovic, a former Serbian military officer, faces charges of murder, forced expulsions, mass arrests, torture, and inhumane treatment of Albanian civilians in the village of Ozdrim, Peja, and surrounding areas. The prosecution alleges that these acts were committed in violation of international humanitarian law.

During the latest hearing, witness Arben Gashi detailed his arrest on May 7, 1999, by Serbian forces and the severe mistreatment he endured. He described being detained in a garage used as a makeshift detention center before being transferred to Peja prison.

“They took us to the Peja prison, and as soon as we entered, the torture began. We were beaten mercilessly without knowing why,” said Gashi.

He further recounted being crammed into a bus with other detainees and enduring brutal beatings on the way to Leskovac prison in Serbia. “They beat us with knives. I still have a scar on my head from where they hit me,” he said.

Upon arrival at Leskovac prison, Gashi described blood-stained walls and extreme physical abuse. He and others were held there until the International Red Cross intervened, eventually leading to their release after the war.

Another witness, Florent Zeqaj, testified about the widespread persecution, violence, and looting in Ozdrim. His family home was ransacked, and several civilians were executed, including an 18-year-old girl.

“For nearly a month, we were denied the right to stay in our home. We were constantly harassed and monitored,” Zeqaj said. On May 7, 1999, his family was confronted by armed Serbian forces demanding information about Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) members.

“They pushed us against the wall and interrogated us about the KLA. When I denied knowing anything, a soldier slapped me and said, ‘If you speak again, you’ll get a bullet in the head,'” he recalled.

Key role in killing people

Serbian troops looted money, jewelry, and other valuables, then threatened to kill the entire family before setting the house on fire. “They left after a few minutes, but we thought we wouldn’t survive,” he said. His family later fled to Albania, escaping the violence.

According to the prosecution, Djokovic played a key role in a military-police offensive in Ozdrim, where six civilians were killed, three were injured and later executed, and five others remain missing. The Indictment also alleges that Djokovic personally oversaw the arrest and detention of 40 civilians, who were tortured in a police facility before being transferred to Peja and Leskovac prisons.

Djokovic’s trial is being held in Kosovo’s Special Department for War Crimes, with the next hearing scheduled for March.

The case is part of a broader effort to bring justice for atrocities committed during the 1998-1999 Kosovo War, which led to the trial and conviction of several Serbian military and political leaders. 

Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic was indicted for war crimes but died in custody before his trial concluded. Other high-ranking officials, including Nebojša Pavković and Nikola Šainović, were convicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY).

With new testimonies emerging, Kosovo’s judicial system continues its pursuit of accountability for war crimes committed during the brutal conflict.