Attorneys of Dragisa Milenkovic: Staged trial concludes; witnesses reciting memorized stories

The defense attorneys of Dragisa Milenkovic, who is accused of an alleged war crime against Albanian prisoners during the Kosovo conflict, agree that their client should be acquitted.

Attorney Zivojin Jokanovic stated that today marked the conclusion of yet another staged trial, in which a prison guard was being prosecuted after 26 years, something he described as legally unsustainable.

"It is strange, legally unsustainable... That people are now suddenly recalling being mistreated there. What characterizes this and similar trials is the fact that the alleged victims do not come forward voluntarily but are instead summoned or invited. Those who agree to say something that fits the indictment are then proposed as witnesses and given the role of victims," Jokanovic told reporters.

He added that the witnesses are reciting pre-learned stories, while the court panel struggles to determine what constitutes a war crime.

"They are reciting a memorized story, particularly concerning the transfer after the bombings when the Dubrava correctional facility was moved to Lipljan. Ultimately, the main issue for the court is whether this constitutes a war crime. A war crime is associated with combatants, with armed forces in conflict, and their treatment of civilians – it must be linked to armed combat, to war. If that element is missing, it cannot be classified as a war crime. Prison guards do not commit war crimes; they perform the same duties before and after a war, following service regulations," Jokanovic explained.

Attorney Dejan Vasic emphasized in his closing argument that some witnesses withdrew because they did not want to face potential problems.

"We withdrew certain witnesses who were prison guards at the time and still are today. Some of their colleagues testified and were visibly frightened during their testimony. We didn’t want to expose them to any issues, so we decided to step back. I mentioned this in my closing argument, also referring to the alleged victims – Dragisa remained silent about certain details out of consideration for his family, details that could be embarrassing and reveal that some of these individuals were not the heroes they tried to portray themselves as during the main hearing," Vasic said.

Vasic noted that, based on the court proceedings, the defense expects an acquittal.

The verdict in the case of Dragisa Milenkovic is scheduled to be delivered on April 16 at 1:15 PM.