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UÇKHistory and Memory

Basic Court (Kosovo)

Prosecutor v. Muhamet Alidemaj (the Izbica massacre)

Procedural status: First-instance judgmentCrimes attributed to Serbian and Yugoslav officials and forces · The 1998–1999 war

Procedural status

From investigation to final decision. Where does the case stand today?

Path of the case

Stage 4 of 6: First instance

  1. Investigation
  2. Indictment
  3. Trial
  4. First instance
  5. Appeal
  6. Final

Stage 4 of 6: First instance

Not final

A trial chamber's decision. It can be appealed and is not final.

The judgment can be appealed.

Appeal status:The victims' families announced an appeal; no appellate outcome was found.

Sentences imposed

1 sentenced · at first instance

  1. 01

    Muhamet Alidemaj

    13 years

    (retrial, first instance)

    Not final

A judgment concerning individuals is not automatically a judgment against a people, a war, or every member of an organization.

Outcome for each accused

Convictions(1)

  • Muhamet Alidemaj

    Per BIRN, a former Serbian police officer; charged with co-perpetration with Serbian military and police forces

    Outcome:Conviction

    Sentence:13 years (retrial, first instance)

    Not final

Charges and alleged conduct

According to the charges, participation in crimes against civilians in Izbica and surrounding villages on 28 March 1999.

Period covered by the charges:28 March 1999

Charges

  • War crimes against the civilian population

Procedural history

  1. Trial (first-instance) judgment

    Sentenced to 15 years; the judgment is later annulled.

  2. Retrial judgment

    At retrial, sentenced to 13 years; a first-instance judgment.

Photographs

Two black-and-white overhead views of a field; the second shows rows of graves marked with a yellow frame
Overhead imagery released by the U.S. Department of State in May 1999: the same field near Izbicë without graves and with rows of new graves.Photo: U.S. Department of State / U.S. Department of State · 1999 · Domen publik (Public domain)
Two overhead views: rows of graves on the left, churned earth at the same spot on the right
Overhead imagery released by the U.S. government: the burial site near Izbicë on 15 May 1999 and the same site on 3 June 1999, after the graves had been disturbed.Photo: U.S. Department of State / U.S. Department of State / Department of Defense · 1999-06 · Domen publik (Public domain)

Editorial status: Awaiting verificationDrafted from the cited sources; not yet fully reviewed by the editors.

Last verified:

Verification note:Sources: BIRN and the HLC Kosovo newsletter; the judgments were not read on an official website.

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