UNMIK/PR/804
PRISTINA – The Commissioner of Police and the Director of the Department of Justice announce the arrest of a suspect on suspicion of murder, torture and illegal detention.
The arrest was requested by an international prosecutor and was carried out by UNMIK Police with the assistance of KFOR. The arrested subject will appear before an international judge within the next 72 hours. The investigation is focused on evidence linking the suspect to the torture and murder of at least five illegally detained persons. As with any judicial investigation, the court will rule on whether the suspect will be kept in custody while the judicial investigation is conducted. The prosecutor in the case has requested that the suspect be detained pending the conclusion of the investigation.
The case will proceed in accordance with the applicable criminal procedure legislation and will involve the presentation of evidence before the investigating judge. The suspect has the right to be represented by defense counsel during the course of the investigation. That defense counsel has the right to question any witnesses and present evidence to the investigating judge. The suspect also has the right to remain silent.
At the end of the judicial investigation, which could last several months, the international judge will decide whether an indictment may be filed. If the judge determines that an indictment should be filed, the case will then be tried before a panel of international judges.
