26 December 2013

Yesterday, an international pre-trial judge from the Prishtinë/Priština Basic Court rejected the application of a local prosecutor from the Kosovo Special Prosecution Office (SPRK) for one month detention on remand for eight individuals, including two Kosovo police officers, suspected of Organized Crime, Smuggling of Goods, Abuse of Official Position, Accepting Bribes and Giving Bribes. The pre-trial judge found that the prosecutor's application did not contain sufficient facts and evidence, was too general and did not reflect sufficiently the actions or the role of each defendant individually. Because the pre-trial judge was not convinced that the measure of detention on remand would be proportionate, the judge ordered the more lenient measures of attendance at the police station twice per week and temporarily confiscated the travel documents of the defendants in order to ensure their presence at the criminal proceedings.