UNITED NATIONS International Tribunal for the Case No. IT-03-66-T Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Date: 30 November 2005 Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of Former Yugoslavia since 1991 Original: English IN TRIAL CHAMBER II Before: Judge Kevin Parker, Presiding Judge Krister Thelin Judge Christine Van Den Wyngaert Registrar: Mr Hans Holthuis Judgement of: 30 November 2005 PROSECUTOR v. FATMIR LIMAJ HARADIN BALA ISAK MUSLIU JUDGEMENT The Office of the Prosecutor: Mr Alex Whiting Mr Julian Nicholls Mr Colin Black Mr Milbert Shin Counsel for the Accused: Mr Michael Mansfield Q.C. and Mr Karim A.A. Khan for Fatmir Limaj Mr Gregor D. Guy-Smith and Mr Richard Harvey for Haradin Bala Mr Michael Topolski Q.C. and Mr Steven Powles for Isak Musliu CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................................1 II. CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING THE EVALUATION OF EVIDENCE........................4 III. CONTEXT .................................................................................................................................16 A. POLITICAL CONTEXT IN KOSOVO AND EMERGENCE OF THE KLA...............................................16 B. DEVELOPMENT OF THE KLA UNITS IN VARIOUS REGIONS OF KOSOVO .......................................21 C. TAKING OF LLAPUSHNIK/LAPUSNIK BY THE KLA IN MAY 1998................................................27 D. THE FALL OF LLAPUSHNIK/LAPUSNIK IN JULY 1998 ..................................................................32 IV. JURISDICTION UNDER ARTICLES 3 AND 5 OF THE STATUTE................................34 A. JURISDICTION UNDER ARTICLE 3................................................................................................34 1. The existence of an armed conflict and nexus.......................................................................34 (a) Law......................................................................................................................................... 34 (b) Findings.................................................................................................................................. 38 (i) Organisation of the KLA .................................................................................................... 38 (ii) Intensity of the conflict...................................................................................................... 52 (iii) Conclusion........................................................................................................................ 62 2. The Four Tadi} conditions.....................................................................................................63 B. JURISDICTION UNDER ARTICLE 5................................................................................................65 1. Law ........................................................................................................................................65 2. Findings .................................................................................................................................69 V. THE CHARGES .........................................................................................................................81 A. LAW ON THE CRIMES CHARGED ..................................................................................................81 1. Introduction............................................................................................................................81 2. Crimes against humanity (Counts 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9)................................................................82 3. Cruel treatment (Counts 2 and 6)...........................................................................................82 4. Torture (Count 4) ...................................................................................................................83 5. Murder (Counts 8 and 10)......................................................................................................85 B. FINDINGS....................................................................................................................................85 1. Existence of a prison camp in Llapushnik/Lapusnik .............................................................85 2. Crimes in or around the Llapushnik/Lapusnik prison camp (Counts 4, 6 and 8) ................106 (a) Conditions of detention ........................................................................................................ 107 (b) Cruel treatment, torture and murder..................................................................................... 109 (i) Vojko and Ivan Bakrač ..................................................................................................... 109 (ii) Witness L07..................................................................................................................... 111 (iii) Witness L10.................................................................................................................... 112 (iv) Witness L06 .................................................................................................................... 114 (v) Witness L96 ..................................................................................................................... 115 (vi) Witness L04 .................................................................................................................... 116 (vii) Witness L12................................................................................................................... 117 (viii) Ajet Gashi..................................................................................................................... 119 (ix) Fehmi Xhema (also known as Fehmi Tafa).................................................................... 122 (x) Milovan Krsti} and Miodrag Krsti}................................................................................. 127 (xi) Slobodan Mitrovi} .......................................................................................................... 129 (xii) Miroslav [uljini} ........................................................................................................... 130 (xiii) @ivorad Krsti}............................................................................................................... 132 (xiv) Stamen Genov............................................................................................................... 134 (xv) \or|e ^uk...................................................................................................................... 138 (xvi) Sini{a Blagojevi} .......................................................................................................... 140 (xvii) Jefta Petkovi} and Zvonko Marinkovi}....................................................................... 140 (xviii) Agim Ademi ............................................................................................................... 144 (xix) Vesel Ahmeti ................................................................................................................ 146 (xx) Emin Emini .................................................................................................................... 148 (xxi) Ibush Hamza ................................................................................................................. 151 (xxii) Hyzri Harjizi ................................................................................................................ 152 (xxiii) Shaban Hoti ................................................................................................................ 153 (xxiv) Hasan Hoxha............................................................................................................... 156 (xxv) Safet Hysenaj ............................................................................................................... 157 (xxvi) Bashkim Rashiti.......................................................................................................... 158 (xxvii) Hetem Rexhaj ............................................................................................................ 159 (xxviii) Lutfi Xhemshiti......................................................................................................... 162 (xxix) Shyqyri Zymeri........................................................................................................... 163 3. Crimes in the Berishe/Berisa Mountains (Count 10)...........................................................165 (a) Emin Emini .......................................................................................................................... 171 (b) Ibush Hamza ........................................................................................................................ 172 (c) Hyzri Harjizi......................................................................................................................... 174 (d) Shaban Hoti.......................................................................................................................... 175 (e) Hasan Hoxha ........................................................................................................................ 177 (f) Safet Hysenaj.......................................................................................................................