REPORT NO. 432
         ON THE WIDESPREAD REPRESSION
         AND HARASSMENT PERPETRATED
           BY THE SERBIAN POLICE AND
           OTHER AUTHORITIES IN KOSOVA
           FROM  AUGUST 16
           UNTIL  AUGUST 23, 1998

REPORT NO.432

ON THE WIDESPREAD REPRESSION AND HARASSMENT PERPETRATED BY
THE SERBIAN POLICE AND OTHER AUTHORITIES IN KOSOVA
FROM AUGUST 16 UNTIL AUGUST 23, 1998

The situation in Kosova is showing no signs of improvement. The fightings continue and so do the shellings, killings, destruction, arrests and ill-treatments. Two Albanians died as an aftermath of being tortured while in police custody. Destan Rukiqi, a lawyer and member of the Board of the CDHRF, was released as his prison term of 60 days was revoked. Rukiqi was sentenced to 60 days of imprisonment and was brutally tortured at the Prishtina prison.
A new offensive of the Serbian police and military forces was launched against the villages of Suhareka, Shtime, Ferizaj, Lipjan and Drenica. What makes the situation even graver is the threat of a humanitarian catastrophe. 300.000 Albanians were displaced from their homes. Recently, the displaced persons have received some aid from humanitarian organizations. The work of these organizations is hindered by the Belgrade regime. Patrik Mekormik, representative of the UNICEF, stated that the Serbian police stopped his team for more than an hour. The team was distributing aid to the children at the Gjakova Hospital. He pointed out that the very same team was stopped for 13 times within a day, under the pretext that it was distributing medicine to the "terrorists".
Serbian police units, the so-called "Federal police", are killing, wounding and imprisoning the Albanians who are fleeing through the mountains and seeking shelter in Montenegro.
On August 15, in the vicinity of the church in the village of Grazhdanik (Prizren), Serbian forces killed Remzi Ademi, chairman of the Sub-CDHRF in Zhur.
On August 17, Cen Dugolli (1966) from Nekoc (Gllogoc) died at the Surgery Ward of the Prishtina Hospital as an aftermath of being brutally tortured at the police station. He was arrested on June 21. In Gorozhub, on the border with Albania, Serbian forces killed Fadil Muhamet Balaj (24) from Korisha near Prizren. The corpse of Tafil Nuhi Zyberaj (33) from Drenoc (Rahovec) was found in the village of Bellacërka.
On August 18, Adem Berisha (37) from Buqa near Opoja died at the Surgery Ward of the Prishtina Hospital as an aftermath of being tortured at the police station in Prizren. Hazir Selimaj (44), Zenel Curraj (25) and Sabit Lushaj (23) from Grekoc near Suhareka were killed in Gorozhub. Ibrahim Begaj (45) was killed in Banja near Malisheva. He died due to shelling. Police brought 5 unidentified corpses to the morgue of the Prizreni hospital.
August 19: Isuf Ahmeti (53), principal with primary school in Ponoshec, was killed during the offensive of the Serbian forces on the villages of Gjakova. During the last few days, Serbian forces killed more than 10 Albanians, who were trying to flee from the regions affected with war. In the district of Plava, the corpses of Shkëlzen Gani Berisha (14) from Pozhar and Besart Kadriaj from Rastavica (Deçan) were identified.
On August 20, Bekim Dalip Bekteshi (27) was killed during the shelling of Samadraxha (Suhareka). The corpses of Nazmi Nebi Gashi (27), Ramiz Januz Gashi (27) and Xhafer Latif Gashi - from Sfërka were identified. All 3 were killed on July 21, during the attack of the Serbian police and military forces on the villages of Klina.
For 3 weeks now, the corpse of Daut Bojaj is left unburied in his houseyard in Kërrnica (Klina).
The corpse of Miradije Tahiri (44) from Radisheva (Skënderaj) was identified. She was killed on July 26, during the attack of Serbian forces.
On August 21, Serbian forces killed Avni Saraçi (29) from Bivolak (Vushtrri). The unidentified corpse of an Albanian youngster from the district of Deçan was brought to the morgue of the Gjakova hospital.
On August 22, a newly-born baby from the village of Gremnik (Klina) died in Domanek.
On August 23, Hajrije Ramë Gashi from Plloçica died in Abria e Epërme. She died due to lack of medical assistance.

Prishtina, August 23, 1998    Information Service