Lapušnik prison camp was a detention camp (also referred to as a prison) that was operated by the Kosovo Liberation Army, an Albanian militant organization, near the city of Drenas in central Kosovo during the Kosovo War. It was operational in early 1998 and inmates were subject to intimidation, imprisonment, violence and murder. The victims were both Serbs and Albanians.[2][5]
| Lapušnik prison camp | |
|---|---|
| Concentration camp | |
| Location | Llapushnik, Kosovo, FR Yugoslavia |
| Operated by | UÇK[1] |
| Original use | imprisonment, cruel treatment, inhuman acts, and executions. |
| Operational | 1998 |
| Inmates | Serbs and Albanians[2][3] |
| Number of inmates | 35+[3][4] |
| Killed | 23[2] |
History
editThis takes place after the Battle of Llapushnik. According to the early indictments: In early 1998, KLA forces under the command of Fatmir Limaj and Isak Musliu detained Serb and Albanian civilians from the municipalities of Shtime, Drenas and Lipjan for prolonged periods in the camp.[6] On 25 or 26 July, the KLA abandoned the camp when the Yugoslav Army began its advance on Llapushnik.[6]
Indictments
editIn 2003, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) charged Fatmir Limaj, Isak Musliu and Haradin Bala.[7][8][9][3] In November 2005, all of the defendants except Haradin Bala were acquitted and released.[9] Bala, who was a guard at the camp, was sentenced to 13 years in prison for persecution on political, racial and religious grounds and for cruel treatment, murders and for his role in maintenance and enforcement of inhumane conditions in the camp.[8][10] Although the exact number of inmates is unknown, 9 were executed in the mountains by Haradin Bala and two other guards.[5]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ First case against Kosovo Albanians opens in The Hague.
- ^ a b c Mishra, Pramod (10 January 2006). Human Rights Reporting. Gyan Publishing House. ISBN 9788182053830 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b c "Haradin Bala, Isak Musliu, and Agim Murtezi Transferred to the ICTY following their Indictment for Crimes against Humanity and War Crimes | International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia". www.icty.org.
- ^ Kimmerle, Erin H.; Baraybar, Jose Pablo (19 February 2008). Skeletal Trauma: Identification of Injuries Resulting from Human Rights Abuse and Armed Conflict. CRC Press. ISBN 9781420009118 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b ICTY document: Bala, p. 2
- ^ a b ICTY, p.3
- ^ Erin H. Kimmerle, José Pablo Baraybar, Identification of Injuries Resulting from Human Rights abuse
- ^ a b "Genocide, War Crimes, and Crimes Against Humanity". Human Rights Watch – via Google Books.
- ^ a b "UN court acquits top Kosovo rebel". BBC News. 30 November 2005. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
- ^ "The American Society of International Law". Archived from the original on 25 September 2011. Retrieved 28 September 2011.
Sources
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