The trial of Dragisa Milenkovic from Kisnica continues

The trial of Dragisa Milenkovic from Kisnica, who is accused of an alleged war crime, continued with the testimony of witnesses before the Special Department of the Basic Court in Pristina. According to one of Milenkovic's lawyers, Zivojin Jokanovic, the witnesses' statements do not favor the defense.

Today, two prosecution witnesses were heard before the Special Department of the Basic Court in Pristina.

"Nothing new or significant, except that today we questioned two witnesses whose statements, while not terribly damaging, do not support the defense. If we consider the entire procedure based on a method of summoning and calling people, every former prison worker, every uniformed guard, could be summoned. From today's testimony of the second witness, it's notable that he was called to testify after 25 years of never reporting anything, and when he was summoned, naturally, he testified in a way that suited the prosecution," said Jokanovic.

He emphasized that it would be irresponsible to make predictions about how the trial will unfold.

"We cannot lose faith in the court panel; any predictions would be frivolous. We will do what we can, and the defense is unified. I believe it is at a high level at this stage of the proceedings," he said.

The next hearings are scheduled for November 8, 11, 12, and 13.

Dragisa Milenkovic was arrested on June 21 in Kisnica.

Milenkovic is accused of, as a prison guard during the conflict in Kosovo in 1998 and 1999 at the Pristina prison, specifically in the Lipjan branch, in his official capacity and in cooperation with other officials, systematically mistreating Albanian prisoners, torturing them in inhumane ways using various objects, thereby violating the rules of international law during the conflict.

The Special Prosecutor’s Office of Kosovo filed charges against Milenkovic on December 26, 2023, and attorney Dejan Vasic requested that Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti be questioned as a witness in Milenkovic's case, as Kurti was imprisoned in Pristina at the time Milenkovic worked there.

Following Milenkovic’s arrest, protests were held for several days in Gracanica.