REPORT NO. 413
         ON THE WIDESPREAD REPRESSION
         AND HARASSMENT PERPETRATED
           BY THE SERBIAN POLICE AND
           OTHER AUTHORITIES IN KOSOVA
           FROM  MAY  17
           UNTIL  MAY  21, 1998

REPORT NO.413

ON THE WIDESPREAD REPRESSION AND HARASSMENT PERPETRATED BY
THE SERBIAN POLICE AND OTHER AUTHORITIES IN KOSOVA
FROM MAY 17, UNTIL MAY 21, 1998

The situation in Kosova continues to be very tense. During the last few days, 8 Albanians were killed and 5 were wounded, among whom a mother of two and a juvenile. 11 houses were burnt or damaged due to shelling. Many houses were looted.
According to information available, on May 15, Mehedin Morina (1967) from Gllareva, a worker temporarily employed in Holland, was killed by Serb military and police forces.
During the attack of Serb police and military forces on the villages of Çitak and Padalishta, Ajmane Çitaku (95) from Çitak and Ramadan Loshi (67) from Padalishta were killed. Hisen Çitaku (55) and Mahir Loshi were wounded. The houses of Beqir Çitaku, Hajzer Avdi Çitaku, Gani H. Çitaku, Sadik Beci, Xhemë Beci, Xhavit Beci and Ramë Veseli in the village of Çitak, as well as the house of Adem Shala and the Building Material warehouse of Ismet M. Loshi in Padalishta were burnt. The houses of Zenel S. Loshi and Elez Loshi were looted. The car of Naser Jashari was seized.
On May 20, in the village of Carralluka, Naim Krasniqi, a registrar, was killed under unknown circumstances.
On May 20, the corpses of Bajram Osë Osdautaj (66) and Rexhë Selman Pajazitaj (65) were found in the vicinity of their house in Isniq, district of Deçan. Signs of violence can be noticed on their bodies. These killings are similar to those committed a few days ago against two elderly in the vicinity of Bistrica e Deçanit River. Paramilitary forces are stationed in the vicinity of this place.
On May 20, Zurafete Vishaj, a mother of two, and Briken Hisen Neziri (17) from Gramaçel were wounded during shelling by Serb police and military forces. Two houses were damaged.
On May 20, the corpse of Imer Ali Delibeqa (40) from Rahovec, father of four, was found in the outskirts of Rahovec. He was killed under unknown circumstances.
On May 20, the corpse of Nexhat Xhemajl Pnishi from the village of Demjan, district of Rahovec, was brought to the city morgue in Gjakova. It is supposed that the late was killed by unidentified persons, who wanted to loot him.
On May 21, 13 war planes flew over the district of Deçan and the region on the border with Albania.
In the meantime, police and military movements were noticed in almost all regions of Kosova, especially in the towns and villages of the Drenica region, Dukagjini Plain and border with Albania.

MAY 17:

GLLOGOC: In the vicinity of "Kroi i Mbretit", police fired bullets towards Florim A. Gollubovci (20). Florim was beaten-up by the police. Due to injuries suffered he had to be sent to the Prishtina hospital. In the vicinity of the place called "Kriviova", police shot the cow of Pajazit Hoxha. The cows of Hysen Gollubovci and Lulëzim Ferat Hoxha from Korretica e Epërme near Gllogoc, were wounded. Police is ill-treating passers-by on the road from Sllatina to Komoran.
PRIZREN: Arsim Krasniqi (1978), a worker, living in "Beogradi" st. no. 30, was arrested by 3 police inspectors, interrogated on the peaceful protests and physically ill-treated.
PEJA: Martin H. Ademi (1943) from the village of Gllogjan, was severely ill-treated at the bus station in Peja. He was ill-treated as he had a turf on his head.
PODUJEVA: Naser Zhugolli from Podujeva as well as Murat Murati and Nazmi Bashota from Llapashtica e Epërme were physically ill-treated by the police in Llapashtica.
FERIZAJ: In the village of Komogllava, 2 policemen raided in search for weapons the houses of Muhamet Azizi and Ismet Kamer Imeri.

MAY 18:

SKëNDERAJ: Large police and military forces attacked the villages of Çitak, Padalishtë, Vojnikë, Burojë, Kopiliq i Ulët, Açarevë, Turiqec and Llaushë. The Manhajdinaj quarter was damaged the most.
ISTOG: At about 2 p.m., Ismajl Imeraj was wounded by the police in Rakosh.
DEÇAN: There was shooting towards the village of Baballoç. Police forces blocked the center of the town and the roads to Gjakova and Peja.
RAHOVEC: During the night, the shops of Rrustem Thaçi, Adem Shala and Lulzim Gashi were burnt. During clashes on May 14, many houses and shops were damaged. 84 families had to abandon their houses. Police is preventing villagers from returning to their homes in order to feed the cattle. Mazllum Gashi (35) and Haki Krasniqi (30) were severely ill-treated by the police. Due to injuries suffered they had to seek for medical help.
MITROVICA: 2 police inspectors sealed the "Pantina Commerce" private firm in the ownership of Imer Tahiri and "Albasard" in the ownership of Latif Jashari. The two were ordered not to sell flour.
In the village of Lushta, 5 policemen beat-up Xhevat Halil Veseli (48), Musli Bejtë Bahtiri (18) and Fatmir Beqë Bahtiri (16). They were interrogated on the KLA.
In the village of Broboniq, police fired bullets towards Fazli Deli Deliu (57) from Qabra. He was physically ill-treated.
More than 30 Albanians and 2 Gorans were forced to pull down the buildings they had built in the vicinity of the green market. They all had the proper documentation.
PRIZREN: Arben Jemin Krasniqi (1982), a pupil with the Medical School in Prizren, was brutally beaten by the police.
On May 16, after the protests, Hysni Llugaliu, living in "Dërvari" st. 197, was arrested. On May 18, he was sentenced by the District Court for Petty-Offences to a prison term of 15 days.
In the vicinity of the "Shadërvan", Driton Berisha (1976), living in "Timoku" st. 6, was severely ill-treated by the police.
Police obstructed the peaceful protests by blocking the roads leading to the center of the town. The following were physically ill-treated: Hysen Krrapi, a teacher with the "Ymer Prizreni" Economical Secondary School, (beaten-up and thrown in the Bistrica river), Haki Çunaj, a pensioner, Gazmend Lubovci (16), Mustafë Bislimaj, a teacher, Faik Elshani (70) and Resmie Çavdërbasha. They all suffered injuries.
At midnight, unidentified persons broke the shops in the ownership of 4 Albanian craftsmen.
PODUJEVA: Police physically ill-treated Halil Kameroli and Jakup Ahmeti from Llapashtica, Gojart Isuf Potera (17) from Podujeva and Ragip Mustafa from Gllamnik.
PRISHTINA: Police arrested Lirije Shala and Gonxhe Maloku, students from Klina, travelling on the train from Fushë Kosova to Peja. They were accused of supplying "terrorists" with arms and medicine. The 2 were travelling home.
In the vicinity of the Technical Faculty, Ramadan Hajrullahu (1940), a pensioner, was beaten-up until he fainted.
Serbian protesters, while parading through the "Armata" st., threw stones and broke the windows of the house of Shirine Morina (1951), an actress in the Prishtina theater.
SUHAREKA: Elmi Rrafshi (1976), a student from Duhla, was stopped at the police check-point in Duhla and was severely ill-treated.

MAY 19:

GJAKOVA: Serbian police and military forces continued to shell the villages of Morina and Stublla, on the border with Albania. The house of Ismet Dauti was burnt. In the village of Morina, the houses of Imer, Zenel, Arben and Bajram Ukshini were damaged. In the village of Stublla, the house of Demë Kadria was burnt and many houses were damaged.
GLLOGOC: Police seized food from the villagers of Drenica who were travelling on the train from Prishtina. In the village of Rudina police fired bullets at a private car.
RAHOVEC: Serbian police and military forces shelled the village of Gexhe. Januz Ethem Canziba and Masar Xhafer Çmega, activists of the LDK, were arrested and physically ill-treated. These 2 had also been arrested on May 15. Xhelal Canziba is being kept in arrest.
OBILIQ: In the village of Bresja, police seized a truck with 180 boxes of food belonging to the "Mother Theresa" Humanitarian ë Charitable Association. The food was dedicated to those endangered by famine. Daut and Fatmir Mjeku, humanitarian activists, were arrested and physically ill-treated.
PODUJEVA: In Shajkoc, police surrounded and raided the houses of Vehbi Jupolli and Rrahim Mulolli. The latter as well as Vehbi's son Avni were arrested.
30 police vehicles headed for Prishtina. 2 police vehicles rushed through the center of the town during the peaceful protests in Podujeva.
GJILAN: Police surrounded the house of Zeqirja Imeri (1941) in "7 Korriku" st. 490. He was taken for informative talks.
MITROVICA: According to Brahim Çela, his son Raif Çela (35), who was sentenced to a prison term of 8 years and 18 Albanian prisoners who were transferred to the prison in Mitrovica in Srem are being kept in isolation and ill-treated.
MALISHEVA: Haki Zenel Mazreku and Ahmet Destan Berisha from Malisheva were arrested at the police check-point in Duhla under the pretext that they are "terrorists".
SHTIME: In Caraleva, police surrounded the "Abdullah Shabani" Primary School. Hysni Hasani (40) and a guest of his were arrested.
In the village of Zborc, police raided the houses of Sadik, Faik and Hyzer Kadriu. Aziz Hyzer Kadriu and Avdi Kadriu (25) from Zborc and Haxhë Haxha (40) from Godanc were ill-treated. They were accused of surveying the police movements.

MAY 20:

DEÇAN: Early in the morning, the corpses of Bajram Osë Osëdautaj (1932) and Rexhë Selman Pajazitaj (1932) were found in the vicinity of their houses in Isniq. The two were killed on May 19, 100 m from "Podi i Gështenjave". They were shot from close range and signs of violence can be noticed on their bodies. One of the victims was repairing his fence whereas the other was pasturing his cattle. The killing is similar to the one committed against 2 Albanians in the vicinity of the Bistrica river. It is supposed that these crimes are committed by the paramilitary forces stationed in the Monastery in Deçan.
At 8 p.m., there was shooting towards the village of Baballoq. At midnight, the village was shelled by artillery. There was shooting from the military base in Hulaj. During the shelling of the villages of Gramaçel and Baballoq, Zyrafet Vishaj, a mother of 2, and Briken Hysen Neziri (17) were wounded. 3 houses were damaged. RAHOVEC: The corpse of Ymer Ali Delibeqa (40) from Rahovec, a father of 4, was found in the vicinity of the "Jaha Petrol" gas station in the outskirts of Rahovec.
On May 14, the villages of Gexha, Malësia e Vogël and Ratkoc were attacked by Serbian police and military forces. Eversince these villages are in a total isolation and without electricity.
MITROVICA: In the village of Shipol, 3 policemen arrested Arsim Beqir Bilalli (22) from the village of Pasoma, a journalist of "Gazeta Shqiptare".
In the vicinity of the green market, Ahmet Aziz Qamili (46) from Tërstena was stopped by the police. He was carrying flour to a friend of his in "Ura e Gjakut". He was ordered to take the flour to the police station.

MAY 21:

DEÇAN: At 9.30 a.m., 13 war planes flew over Deçan and the border with Albania.
PRISHTINA: On May 18, Radosh Shmigiq from Kragujevac, gave a statement to the CDHRF in Prishtina claiming that his sister Destana-Doca Shmigiq (42) from Skënderaj was kidnapped. She was working in the Unemployment Bureau in Skënderaj.

DELAYED INFORMATION:

KLINA: On April 28, after the peaceful protests in Klina, 3 Serbian civilians severely ill-treated Vilhard Gjoni (1981) from Deiq, a pupil with the "Luigj Gurakuqi" Medical School in Klina.
On May 7, in the vicinity of the police station in Klina, Ndue Pren Bekaj (1966) from Krusheva e Madhe and his co-passenger Lon Gjokë Ndreca (1969) were physically ill-treated.
On May 8, Jahir Hasan Rracaj from Klina and another Albanian named Januz, who were returning from Slovenia, as well as Halit Kapllani and his wife, were taken out of the bus in Gllareva and beaten-up. Under the threat of weapons Jahir and Jonuz were forced to walk barefoot towards Klina.
On May 8, after the killing of Agim Hasanaj in the village of Gllareva, his father Imer, uncle Xhafer and relative Miftar were arrested and physically ill-treated.
During the attack on the Hasanaj quarter, police demolished the houses of the above mentioned, TV sets were broken, DM 500 were looted and 5 cows were killed. Police demolished furniture and looted goods in the houses of Gani, Halil and Brahim Kapllanaj as well as Zenel and Tahir Pantina. Police destroyed Tahir Pantina's tractor. Arif and Ali Pantina as well as Shaban and Haxhi Abazaj were beaten-up by police. Members of the above mentioned families have fled from their houses and were sheltered in the neighboring villages.
On May 13, 3 police squads and groups of armed Serbian civilians from Grabanica attacked and destroyed the house of Hamdi Hazir Shala (1961) from Dollova under the pretext of searching for the KLA.
On May 15, Mehedin Morina (1967) from Gllareva, temporarily employed in Holland, was killed during clashes with Serbian police and military forces.
PRIZREN: On May 1, Flamur Hajrullah Gashi was sentenced by the Serbian run District Court for Petty-Offences to 45 days of imprisonment. He was sent to serve the prison term regardless of his grave medical condition.
On May 16, Hysni Llugaliu from Prizren, living in "Drvari" st. 197, was arrested. The very same happened to Xhavit Rifat Elshani from Pirana near Prizren. He was arrested in Gradisha near Rahovec.
PRISHTINA: On May 11-12, police forced Isa Makolli (1940), a farmer from Hajvalia, to take off some stones out of his wall. Photos were taken. He was ordered to report to the police station in Graçanica, interrogated on weapons and physically ill-treated.
On May 13, Afrim Gashi (1961), a driver from Hajvalia, was beaten-up by the police in Dollc near Klina until he lost conscious. He suffered many injuries. Afrim was going to Gjakova to buy goods.
RAHOVEC: On May 12, after the police attack on the villages of Gexhë, Ratkoc and Radostë, the following were arrested: Agim (1963), Ramadan (1969) and Arsim Morina (1978); Osman (1971) and Besim Kastrati (1973); Hazir Krasniqi (1960) and Zenel Rrustemi (1969) from Radosta as well as Sali (1962), Elhat (1962) and Qemal Bytyçi (1964); and Hidajet (1962) and Gani Morina (1967) from Denja near Rahovec. They were beaten-up, interrogated by the investigative judge without the presence of their lawyers and sent on a pre-trial detention of 30 days.
FERIZAJ: On May 13, policemen in the village of Llojza, on the cross-road between Shtime-Dremjak and Ferizaj, physically ill- treated Bashkim Murtezi (29) from Slivova. He was ill-treated in the presence of a 2 year-old-child.
On May 15, policemen in the village of Koshare, physically ill-treated Zaim Rushiti (25) from Slivova.
On May 16, police physically ill-treated Mustafë Zejna, a teacher from Gremja, Nexhat Hashani from Mirash and Ekrem Qazim Hyseni from the village of Brod near Shtërpca. Hajrush Maliqi from Goden, living in Ferizaj, was physically ill-treated by the police and insulted on a national basis.
VITI: On May 14, Izer Ramadani (1978) from Smira was physically ill-treated at the police check-point in Gërlica. He was insulted on a national basis.
PEJA: On May 14, police shelled the house of Malë Xh. Hoti (60) in the village of Kliçina. Mala is in the USA. His sister, Rrushe Hoti was the only one to be present in the house during the police attack.
On May 14, Agim Saiti, a Gypsy, editor of the program in Gypsy language in "Radio Metohija", tried to run over Avdullah M. Shabanaj (1963). Avdullah was arrested and sentenced to a prison term of 60 days by the Serbian run District Court for Petty- Offences. He was immediately sent to serve his prison term.
SUHAREKA: On May 15, in the vicinity of a military warehouse in Gjinoc, land-mines were laid. The warehouses are not guarded anymore. Shaban Zenelaj from Gjinoc was physically ill-treated by the police.
On May 16, Miftar Trolli (1961) from Dragaçina was severely ill-treated at the police check-point in Duhla until he passed out.
GLLOGOC: On May 16, Ali Hajrë Karaçica, Gani Buzhala and Agim Krasniqi were physically ill-treated at the police check-point in Komoran.
MITROVICA: On May 16, police physically ill-treated many Albanian protesters. 2 Serb civilians ill-treated Bashkim Abdyl Abdyli (24), living in "Ura e Gjakut" quarter. They broke his arm.
HANI I ELEZIT: On May 16, Bekim Suma (1970) from Dimca, owner of the "Suma" restaurant, was taken for informative talks regarding weapons to the police station in Hani i Elezit. He was severely ill-treated and suffered many injuries. He was insulted, provoked and accused of being a leader of the KLA in the region.
MALISHEVA: On May 16, Uran Habib Krasniqi (17) from Tërpeza was brutally beaten at the police check-point in Komoran. He suffered injuries on his head and other parts of the body.

Prishtina, May 21, 1998                 Information Service