War crimes trial, what did the accused Dragisa Milenkovic say in the hearing?

Dragisa Millenkovic, accused of war crimes, gave his defense at the hearing on Thursday, 20.03.2025, at the Court of Pristina.

Dragisa Millenkovic from the Special Prosecution is being accused of committing acts that are considered war crimes against the civilian population during the last war, in 1999, in his capacity as an official in the Pristina and Lipjan Prisons.

The trial panel, composed of President Kujtim Krasniqi, members Arben Hoti and Rrahman Beqiri, announced at the beginning of the session that the defendant's defense would continue today.

During questioning by his defense attorney, Dejan Vasić, the accused Dragiša Millenković said that he was employed at the Pristina Prison on 01.07.1993 and had worked there until 1999 when the ceasefire was signed, and that 10 days after that, when the Serbian Army and Police withdrew, they had stayed in the Pristina Prison for another 10 days until the UNMIK Inspectorate arrived, who had told them that they had to vacate the prison.

"Can you describe to us the ethnic structure of the employees at the Pristina Prison?" asked lawyer Dejan Vasic.

"When I was hired, the guards who were Albanians were mostly older people before retirement. Among the youngest people we hired at the Pristina Prison was Skender Hoti. I also hired a young man from Serbia who was hired as a driver," said Millenkovic.

During his defense, he also said that the director of the Pristina Prison was Lubomir Cimburović, while the deputy director was Ramiz Pajaziti.

Ramiz Pajaziti, according to the accused, was obliged to visit each room once a week.

"In those rooms, one of the detainees had to report if there was a problem in that room because there were 4-5 people in the room and there could have been some disagreement and that person had to report if there was a problem and as needed he had to come 5 times to visit them and see if there was a problem and if anyone had complained" - said the accused.

"Every detainee who has come to Pristina Prison has known Ramiz like his father, mother or brother," added the accused Millenkovic.

"During the bombing, did you go and work at Lipjan Prison?" - lawyer Dejan Vasic asked the accused.

"On the day the bombings started and the state of war was declared, even the witnesses know this, for a few days now I don't remember the date, for a few days the entire Pristina Prison was transferred, part to Lipjan, part to the prisons of Serbia. I have not moved from Kosovo for a single day and I don't know where those people went. When those people were transferred, the entire archive was transferred with them, and it all started in the Pristina Prison, Lipjan was transported by truck, we also had entire tractors that could be transported and went to Serbia" - said Millenkovic.

During his defense regarding the period 1997-1998, the years the indictment relates to, he said that he remembered 3-4 names of witnesses who gave evidence about events in Pristina Prison, while he did not know the others who had testified.

"I remember the first witness Agron Ramadani, when I saw him here giving his testimony and I didn't believe it when I saw him in that condition on crutches, the second injured party Ali Xhyliqi, Bislim Zogaj, Demir Limaj and Isak Shabani" - said Dragisha Millenkovic.

Further during his defense, he said that political prisoners were treated differently compared to other prisoners.

"In 1996 or 1997, the first floor of the prison was renovated and they were placed in solitary confinement there. The first cells from 1 to 4 were under camera surveillance, one screen was in our offices in detention, one in the shift manager's and one in the prison chief's," said Millenkovic.

Today's session was adjourned, while the next one is scheduled to be held tomorrow, when the accused Dragisa Milenkovic will continue his defense.

From the Prosecution Office, present at today's session was Prosecutor Kastriot Memaj.

What does the Prosecution file say?

Millenkovic is being accused that in the last war, in 1999, in the capacity of an official in Prishtina and Lipjan Prison, he committed actions that are considered war crimes against the civilian population.

He was arrested by the Kosovo Police on 21.06.2023, and his arrest was protested in Gracanica.

Milenkovic was brought before the Court of Pristina on 22.06.2023 and remanded in custody.

Millenkovic is accused that after the prisoners were transferred from Dubrava Prison to Prishtina and Lipjan Prison, he forced the prisoners to pass through a cordon and hit them with sticks, punches and kicks.

According to the Prosecution's file, the prisoners were systematically treated inhumanely, being tortured, mistreated, threatened with death, and thus causing serious bodily injuries and health consequences.

In addition, according to the Prosecutor's file, psychological violence was also used on the prisoners.

Millenkovic is accused of having carried out these actions in collaboration with three other officials, including the former director of the Prishtina District Prison, Lubomir Cimburović, as well as guards Predrag Bradić and Milivoje Ilić.

According to the prosecutor Atdhe Dema, these actions are contrary to the Geneva International Convention.

For the massacres and other war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Kosovo by the Serbian and Yugoslav forces during the war of 1998/1999, the highest former political and military leaders of the remaining Yugoslavia were tried, and some were even convicted. of Serbia.

The former president of Yugoslavia, Slobodan Milosevic, was accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity, committed by the Serbian and Yugoslav forces in Kosovo. Milosevic was accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the wars in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as in Croatia.

His trial at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), based in The Hague, had not received an epilogue since Milosevic had died on 11.03.2006 in the cell while being held in custody.

Milan Millutinovic, the former president of Serbia, was acquitted of war crimes charges during the conflict in Kosovo.

Nikola Shainović, Deputy Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, was sentenced to 18 years in prison for crimes against humanity and violations of the laws or customs of war.

Dragolub Ojdanić, former Chief of General Staff of the Yugoslav Army, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for crimes against humanity.

Nebojsha Pavkovic, the former commander of the Third Army of the Yugoslav Army, was sentenced to 22 years in prison for crimes against humanity and violations of the laws or customs of war.

Vladimir Llazarević, the former commander of the Pristina Corps of the Yugoslav Army, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for crimes against humanity.

Sreten Lukic, the former chief of staff of the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs for Kosovo, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for crimes against humanity and violations of the laws or customs of war, reports Kallxo.