QUARTERLY REPORT JULY-SEPTEMBER 1997 ON THE VIOLATION OF
HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS IN KOSOVA

     The continuous deterioration of the situation of human rights and the increase of violence
perpetrated by the Serbian regime against the Albanians of Kosova, have reached the
highest level.
During this period, there was a systematic violation of human rights in Kosova. Victims of this
free reign violence are the Albanians, while the perpetrators are police, army, and other
Serbian law enforcement authorities.
Council for the Defence of Human Rights and Freedoms has registered 1076 individual
cases of human rights violation. 2263 violations of human rights and freedoms were
perpetrated against these persons. Compared with the second quarterly period of this
year, when 816 cases of ill-treatment were registered, the repression during this
period has been increasing. CDHRF has got evidence that many of the persons
ill-treated by police did not report their cases, due to the police threats.

The last week of September was marked by mass walks in towns of Kosova, with the aim of
supporting the initiative of the Students' Independent Union of the University of Prishtina for
peaceful protests for the unconditional release of the university facilities. Many Albanian
citizens were subjected to ill-treatment by police and armed Serbian civilians in Prishtina,
Mitrovica, Gjilan and Gjakova. One of those that were injured in Prishtina is Arben Mehmeti
(1975), student, Dragodani quarter II. Without checking his identity, police ill-treated
him severely and broke his jaw. Arben was compelled to undergo a surgery and has been
hospitalized in a private ambulance in Prishtina.

The trials and convictions of Albanians on political grounds have continued during this very
same period. On 11 July, at the Serbian Run Court of Prishtina, legal proceedings against 15
Albanians charged for "terrorism and aiding terrorists" came to an end. The first defendant
Besim Rama was sentenced to 20 years, Idriz Asllani to 15 years and Avni Nura to 4 years of
imprisonment. The other 12 defendants were tried in absentia. Adem Jashari, Jakup Nura,
Fadil Kadriu, Nuredin Lushtaku, Sabit Jashari, Rafet Rama, Sami Lushtaku, Iljaz Kadriu,
Zenel Kadriu and Rexhep Selimi were sentenced to a term of 20 years of imprisonment; Ali
Jonuzi to 15 years and Hashim Thaçi to 10 years of imprisonment. It is worth mentioning
that during such rigid political trials against the Albanians, evidence that proves the
innocence of defendants is not taken into consideration. Attempts of Serbian regime
to present Albanians as terrorists in order to justify the state terror exerted on them
are evident.

During the very same period, CDHRF has registered 3 cases of mysterious assaults.

On 3 July, early in the morning, in Tërsteniku village near Gllogoc, unknown persons
assaulted Ali çallapeku, a farmer and member of SPS (Serbian Socialist Party) and
Election Commission in the last Serbian elections. This murder served as a cause for
arrests and ill-treatments.

On 18 August, at about 9.15 p.m., Elez Hysen Miftari (1939), father of seven from
Berja village near Gjakova, chairman of Financial Sub-Council and member of LDK
sub-branch in Ponosheci village, was killed under unknown circumstances. The late was
killed while he was entering the house of his nephew Selim Miftari to visit his mother.

On 23 August, at about 4 p.m., unknown persons shot Sadik Halil Morina (40) from
village Kopiliq i Poshtëm near Skënderaj, who died at the hospital of Mitrovica at about
11 p.m. After this event, large police forces with armoured cars and helicopters raided,
arrested and provoked many citizens.
 

Figures show that all those detained have been subjected to violence. 897 persons have
been subjected to psychical torture. Not even children, women or old people were
spared from such torture. 25 women, 18 children and 11 people older than 60 underwent
police brutality during this quarterly period. 27 persons were convicted for political
reasons, penal acts and for petty-offences. 86 cases of ill-treatment of political, humanitarian,
trade union, educational activists were reported. In most cases, the activists are summoned to
he police for several times, are taken for "informative talks", subjected to physical and
psychical  ill-treatment and released on the condition that they are to report again and give up
their activities.

In education, the situation continues to be grave. Apart from the  difficult conditions,
police repression and violence burdens the situation. 64 educational activists have been
subjected to ill-treatment and police intervened in 22 educational institutions.

Journalists have been hampered and threatened while doing their jobs.
CDHRF registered 10 cases of ill-treatment.

The dismissal of Albanians workers continues.
During the very same period, 17 Albanians have been dismissed, while 4 Albanian families
have been evicted from their flats.

Another common phenomenon worth mentioning, is the looting of the Albanian
population. A special form is the plundering in the markets. CDHRF has never
succeeded in registering the exact number, due to the fact that the Albanian vendors fear
reporting their cases. During this very same period, police plundered goods and foreign
currency from 95 vendors.

We, hereby give a table of data on the violation of human rights and freedoms for the period
July-September 1997. During this very same period:
 

• 3 persons were killed;
• 3 persons were wounded;
• 1 rape attempt of an Albanian youngster by a Serbian policeman;
• 27 persons were sentenced for penal acts and petty-offences;
• 245 cases of physical torture;
• 37 persons suffered severe injuries;
• 278 persons were arrested arbitrarily;
• 1 person was taken hostage;
• 149 persons underwent routine checking;
• 209 persons were summoned to the police stations;
• 115 persons were taken for "informative talks";
• 13 passports were confiscated;
• 67 Albanian families were raided;
• 205 persons were subjected to ill-treatment on the pretext of weapon search;
• 45 LDK activists, 5 of PPK, 1 of UNIKOMB, 16 of DFC, 16 of CDHRF

and 3 sports activists were subjected to ill-treatment;
• 64 educational activists were ill-treated;
• 22 police interventions in educational institutions;
• 95 cases of plundering;
• 10 journalists were ill-treated;
• 2 cases of hampering of informative activity;
• 7 cases of real estate usurpation;
• travel documents were seized in 5 cases;
• 5 Albanian families were evicted from their flats;
• 17 persons were dismissed from work;
• 2 cases of profanation of national symbols were registered;
• 3 cases of language discrimination;
• 1 case of police intervention in religious institutions;
• 1 case of police intervention in political institutions and 2 cases in economical institutions;
• 70 persons were threatened among others with liquidation;
• 18 persons were insulted on a national basis;

Prishtina, September 8, 1997                 Information Service