Kosovo arrests five Serbian suspects in Rečak war‑crimes case

The Kosovo Special Prosecutor’s Office and the Kosovo Police carried out a joint operation that resulted in the arrest of five Serbian citizens suspected of participating in war crimes during the January 1999 Rečak massacre, in which 42 Albanian civilians were killed. The men, former members of Serbian police and interior ministry units, were detained under court‑ordered pre‑trial measures lasting one month each, with judges citing a real risk of flight and of tampering with evidence. A court‑ordered media conference confirmed the arrests and indicated that evidence, including video recordings, had been secured. One additional suspect remains at large.

The courts emphasized that the pre‑trial detention is the only measure necessary to ensure the uninterrupted progress of the criminal procedure and to prevent the suspects from influencing witnesses or evidence.