Kosovo prisoner Kastriot Sabedini dies in Gjilan prison, cause remains unknown

Kastriot Sabedini, a 32‑year‑old man, was transferred to the Gjilan prison in Kosovo on 18 July 2024. Eight hours after his arrival he was found dead in his cell, with no official cause of death released.

His mother, Maria Sabedini, described the incident with the words, “I live left the house, I came dead.” The family has repeatedly asked the authorities to clarify the circumstances, noting that the final autopsy report has never been issued.

Sabedini had been arrested on 22 June 2024 on suspicion of domestic violence and placed in pre‑trial detention. A court ordered a psychiatric examination, and he was sent to the Forensic Psychiatric Institute, which could not admit him due to lack of beds, resulting in his return to custody. Medical staff administered therapy upon his admission to the prison, but the brief stay ended with his unexplained death.

Prosecutors have opened an investigation, but progress stalled because the required forensic‑medical report has not been produced. The Ministry of Justice is reported to have failed to ensure the required analyses, prompting criticism from the family and human‑rights observers.