Delevic: After 25 years, witnesses suddenly appeared alleging that Z.N. committed war crimes

Lawyer Milos Delevic confirmed to Kosovo Online that the Basic Court in Pristina had ordered one-month detention for the Serb Z.N. (70), arrested on suspicion of committing a war crime, stating that he had denied guilt during the hearing, as well as that the court had not accepted the defense's proposal for house arrest due to his age and deteriorating health, despite him having lived in Kosovo for 25 years and not owning property in Serbia.

"He is suspected of committing the criminal offense of war crime. He lived in Kosovska Mitrovica after the war when he fled his village and had no problems, freely moving around. However, suddenly, after 25 years, some witnesses appeared alleging that he committed a war crime," Delevic said.

According to him, the court did not accept the defense's proposal for house arrest for the suspect due to his age and deteriorating health.

Therefore, Z.N. will be in detention in Podujevo for the next month.

"Today, we proposed, because he is a 70-year-old man with deteriorating health, living in Kosovo, in Kosovska Mitrovica, and having no property in Serbia, that house arrest be ordered. However, the court did not accept it and ordered detention," Delevic stated.

He emphasized that the witness hearing session had been closed to the public, so he could not provide further details about the process.

"We will participate in the investigation and question the witnesses proposed by the prosecution, that's all I can say. Since the session is closed to the public, I cannot discuss the details of the case," Delevic said.

However, he noted that Z.N. denied guilt during the hearing.

"He denied guilt during the hearing. He does not comprehend what he is being accused of because he has no connection to the case, and he was surprised by what was stated in the detention request," lawyer Delevic concluded.