Kosovo Told to Cooperate With Organ Trafficking Probe

Clint Williamson, lead prosecutor with the task force set up by the EU rule-of-law mission in Kosovo to probe the alleged illicit organ trade, told the authorities in Pristina on Tuesday that they should cooperate to find the truth about the allegations “to resolve this matter once and for all”.During meetings with Kosovo officials, Williamson “reiterated his determination to conduct an impartial and independent investigation that uncovers the whole truth behind the serious allegations contained in the Council of Europe report”, according to a statement from the Special Investigative Task Force, SITF.The Council of Europe report by rapporteur Dick Marty in December 2010 linked senior former Kosovo Liberation Army fighters, including current Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, to organised crime, and accused them of harvesting the organs of Serbian prisoners and others in Albania during the 1998-99 war.“Mr. Williamson stressed that the mandate of the SITF is to investigate and, if warranted, prosecute individuals who were personally responsible for crimes alleged in the Marty report,” the STIF statement said.“He noted that he is aware of the mounting speculation about the future of the SITF and its inquiry. However he underlined that the investigative work is ongoing and that it is premature to prejudge any outcome,” it added.The organ-trafficking allegations have been strongly denied.
Williamson’s visit to Kosovo came several weeks after local media leaked what it said was a draft statute for a new international tribunal to prosecute people for “serious crimes” committed from 1998 to 2000 which are linked to the Council of Europe report on organ trafficking.The apparent leak of the draft, which was written by international experts, says that “the tribunal will be an independent ad hoc international court but will not be part of the Kosovo judiciary or judicial system”.Local media reported that is expected to have jurisdiction over genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes cases, amongst others.Kosovo officials have so far declined to confirm or deny that such a new tribunal is planned.After his meeting with Williamson, Kosovo’s justice minister Hajredin Kuci said that “any eventual case should be held in the territory of the Republic of Kosovo in line with Kosovo laws and its jurisdiction”.“We want the sovereignty of our country to be respected; we want our achievements in the justice sector and related to the cooperation with [the EU rule-of-law mission] EULEX to be recognised. [We also want] the human rights of each citizen to be respected in line with international standards [and we want] the image of our country to be preserved,” Kuci said.