Office for Kosovo and Metohija wrote to Barbano: Inhumane treatment of arrested Elezovic, outcome could be fatal

The Office for Kosovo and Metohija has written a letter to the head of EULEX, Giovanni Pietro Barbano, regarding the poor health condition, treatment, and status of Ilija Elezovic, who has been in detention for nearly a month on charges of alleged war crimes, and pointed out the inadequate treatment of Kosovo's institutions towards him, which, as they stated, could have a fatal outcome. The Office for Kosovo and Metohija is requesting that he be granted house arrest until the end of the proceedings, as Kosovo Online learns.

In a letter that Kosovo Online had access to, the Office for Kosovo and Metohija informs Barbano that Ilija Elezovic is a seriously ill cancer patient in an advanced stage of the disease and that he lacks the conditions in prison to receive the necessary therapy and medical care. The letter mentions that even in the report by the Albanian doctor who examined him after his arrest, it was stated that the patient "requires special treatment conditions and medical care."

The Office's letter recalls that Ilija Elezovic's lawyer submitted a request for his client to be allowed home treatment or at least to be hospitalized until the proceedings are legally concluded, two weeks ago, on October 4th, but received no response.

"Each day in the cell endangers Elezovic's health further, and occasional urgent hospital treatments and transport to them do not alleviate his condition," the Office for Kosovo and Metohija states in the letter, which was also sent to other missions operating in Kosovo.

They also point out that the mentioned "inhumane treatment by Pristina institutions towards seriously ill patient Ilija Elezovic may result in a drastic deterioration of his health condition, and the ultimate outcome could be fatal."

"The bias of temporary self-governing institutions in Kosovo and Metohija in deciding to grant house arrest to certain accused individuals is clear in relation to their nationality. When it comes to perpetrators of the most serious criminal acts of Albanian nationality directed towards Serbian people, they have a lenient attitude, letting them be released to house arrest, while, in contrast, dozens of Serbs whose guilt is questionable have been held in prolonged detention. An example of completely different treatment in the case of detained Serbs and Albanians is the case of Azem Kurtaj, who, on January 6, 2023, in Gotvousa near Strpce, callously shot and seriously wounded two Serbian boys, Stefan (11 years old) and Milos (21 years old) Stojanovic. Despite the seriousness of the committed crime, on January 8, 2023, Azem Kurtaj was sentenced to house arrest by the Basic Court in Urocevac," the letter from the Office for Kosovo and Metohija states.

In conclusion, the Office for Kosovo and Metohija calls on EULEX to urgently take the necessary measures in line with its jurisdiction, objectives, and mission to collaborate with other international missions in Kosovo, so that they could draw the attention of the highest-ranking officials in Pristina's institutional system to the difficult situation and health condition of Elezovic, and influence them to immediately grant him house arrest until the end of the proceedings for his proper treatment and the best medical care.

It should be noted that Elezovic was arrested on September 20th on charges of alleged war crimes and has been in detention in Podujevo since then. Due to his serious health condition, he was immediately transferred to a hospital in Pristina upon his arrest. His lawyer, Ljubomir Pantovic, stated at the time that he had been examined by an Albanian doctor who had stated in the report that such a patient must be in a hospital. However, the court and prosecutor's office in Pristina disregarded this, and Elezovic was transferred to detention.