Serb List condemns retrial verdict against Dusko Arsic

Serb List has strongly condemned today’s decision by the Basic Court in Pristina, which once again sentenced Dusko Arsic from Maticane near Pristina to 13 years in prison on charges of alleged war crimes from 1999, even though the Court of Appeals had already annulled the same verdict and returned the case for retrial.

“This verdict by a judicial panel composed exclusively of judges of Albanian nationality represents yet another example of the deeply unfair and ethnically motivated practices of the judiciary in institutions in Pristina, which systematically struggle with objective and fair treatment of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, especially Serbs like Arsic who refused to sell their property,” the statement reads.

Serb List notes that at no point was Arsic’s guilt conclusively established.

“At no point during this lengthy process, from when Arsic was arrested in September 2021 at the Jarinje administrative crossing and has been held in detention in Podujevo, has there been reliable establishment of facts proving his guilt. Existing testimonies and the defense clearly indicate that there is no direct and conclusive evidence linking Mr. Arsic to the specific acts he is accused of,” the statement emphasizes.

Serb List believes that this continues a long series of verdicts in which complicity in crimes is generalized, rather than establishing individual responsibility for each specific act and piece of evidence. According to the Serb List, this not only undermines legal certainty and confidence in the judiciary, but also contributes to a continued sense of fear, inequality, and discrimination against Serbs.

“For this reason, we demand respect for the procedural and substantive rights of suspects and defendants regardless of their national affiliation. We advocate for an impartial, fair, and transparent judiciary for all communities in Kosovo and Metohija, because the politicization of justice only fuels new tensions in our society. We expect that every further appeal and legal remedy provided by law will be considered by the competent authorities, and that the international community will have the obligation to carefully monitor and critically evaluate every segment of the process that may have serious consequences for the position of the Serbian community,” the statement regarding today’s verdict against Dusko Arsic concludes.