28 January 2007

Kosovo Police Service physically abuses citizens

KIM Radio, Caglavica, December 2, 2006

On November 27 in the village of Firaja near Strpce a special unit of the Kosovo Police Service stopped Nenad Kapetanovic and Miodrag Ristic from Gusterica and physically abused them. The two Serb men were then taken to Urosevac where they were detained for about two hours, one of the victims told KIM Radio.

"They looked at our documents and searched the car. Then they told us to get out of the car. My friend got out first and I followed. This physical abuse lasted about two and a half hours. Then they took us to the detention facility and released us at about 11. First they beat us up thoroughly, and then they said sorry. They asked us where we lived. We said in Gusterica, and they said, no, not in Gusterica but in the country of Kosovo," said Nenad Kapetanovic.

KPS spokesman Veton Elshani said he was not familiar with this incident. He added that when something like this does occur the police follows general police principles and investigates the case.

"In cases such as these, we at the KPS have a special procedure. Citizens to whom something like this happens are responsible for reporting incidents to the nearest police station. Then we investigate the case. Disciplinary measures are initiated against members of the police who commit such acts," said Elshani.

Kapetanovic said that he tried to report the case to the police station in Lipljan but administrators there refused to file the report and sent him to complain to the police station in Urosevac.

"I went to Lipljan and no one there wanted to hear me out. We went outside and they told me that I couldn't file a complaint there but in Urosevac. Today I was visited by police from Lipljan who took my statement," said Kapetanovic.

However, representatives in the police station in Lipljan claim that the incident was not reported. According to KPS spokesman Veton Elshani an investigation will be initiated immediately tomorrow.