Marinkovic: Sentences too lenient for crimes committed, indictment should have included Serbian victims

Silvana Marinkovic of the Association of Families of Kidnapped and Missing Serbs said, following the delivery of the judgment against the former KLA leaders in The Hague, that justice had been partially served, but that the sentences were too lenient given the crimes committed.

Marinkovic told Kosovo Online that the indictment against the former KLA leaders had encompassed only a small number of Serbian victims and that she feared the judgment could be overturned on appeal.

“I can say that justice has been served to some extent. However, they were not convicted for the kidnappings, and unfortunately, the indictment does not encompass the crimes against Serbs. It does include some, but only a very small number, perhaps around five percent. We are afraid that they could be acquitted on appeal. In any event, these sentences are very lenient when we recall the crimes that were committed, not only against the Serbian population but also against the Albanian and other populations in Kosovo and Metohija. The crimes were grave, but the sentences imposed are very, very lenient in relation to the crimes committed,” she stressed.

In her view, the indictment should have been broader and should also have encompassed Serbian victims.

“Someone must be held accountable for the Serbian victims. Yet, so far, no one is even mentioning the Serbian victims. Unfortunately, it is as though Serbian victims do not exist. And there are many Serbian victims. It is a great tragedy, and we, as family members, cannot be satisfied,” Marinkovic said.

Regarding the possibility of incidents and unrest, Marinkovic said that this was nothing new.

“We are used to it. Whatever happens, happens. We are where we are. We have nowhere else to go from here. If we have stayed all these years to preserve our homes, we will remain here, and we have nothing to fear because we have become accustomed to all of this,” Marinkovic said.

Hashim Thaci and Jakup Krasniqi were sentenced at first instance today to 25 years’ imprisonment each for war crimes. Kadri Veseli was sentenced to 18 years, while Rexhep Selimi received a 13-year prison sentence.

The Trial Panel found Hashim Thaci, Jakup Krasniqi, Rexhep Selimi and Kadri Veseli guilty of war crimes committed against civilians and persons who were not actively participating in hostilities. According to the Panel’s judgment, they were found guilty of the war crime of arbitrary detention involving 385 persons, cruel treatment involving 49 persons, torture involving 303 persons, and the war crime of murder involving 96 persons.