The Basic Court in Pristina has declared Dushko Arsiq guilty on charges of war crimes against the civilian population, as confirmed by his defense lawyer, Nebojsha Vllaiq.
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| Basic Court headquarters in Pristina |
Arsiq was arrested on December 8, 2023, under suspicions of committing crimes during the period of January to June 1999 in the Pristina region.
The indictment states that Arsiq participated in the murder of B.Sh on April 20, 1999, in Butovc, Pristina, and physically and psychologically abused A.K, who was 15 years old at the time.
Together with other members of the Serbian police and paramilitary groups, Arsiq allegedly took part in the expulsion and displacement of citizens from Pristina and its surrounding areas between January and June 1999, according to the indictment. It is also claimed that Arsiq and another group pillaged and subsequently damaged the properties of Albanians, setting them on fire.
Arsiq faces charges of mistreatment of Albanian civilians, causing injuries, and committing murder.
His lawyer, Nebojsha Vllaiq, stated after the first-instance court verdict that his client was accused and convicted of war crimes merely because he attempted to reclaim property that had been usurped from him and return to Pristina. Vllaiq mentioned that they will appeal this decision.
Arsiq was arrested in northern Kosovo last December, and at that time, the Special Prosecutor's Office provided limited details, citing the sensitivity of the case.
Originally from Matiqan, on the outskirts of Pristina, Arsiq had lived in Kraljevo, Serbia, after the end of the Kosovo war, as previously mentioned by his defense team. Throughout the court sessions, he maintained his innocence.
Last December, the Special Prosecutor's Office of Kosovo stated that a total of 33 indictments had been raised, involving 89 individuals, for war crimes in Kosovo.
During the Kosovo war in 1998-1999, over 13,000 civilians were killed, and thousands remain missing. More than 1,600 people, mostly Albanians, are still unaccounted for.