Family members of the victims of the Izbica massacre have reacted after the court handed down a 13-year prison sentence to Muhamet Alidemaj, describing it as a very light sentence, while announcing that they will exercise their right to appeal.
Family member Islam Dani said that he personally saw him leading the Serbs into the village of Izbica in Drenas.
“The decision seems very light to us, but the court has made its decision and what can we say beyond the court. We will appeal, whether we will achieve our goal remains to be seen. The Yugoslav Criminal Code defines it this way, reaching the maximum. For us, even 15 years is obviously little… Personally, I did not see him killing anyone. I saw him leading the Serbs into the village of Izbica. What I did not see, I cannot say that I saw him killing. However, that day in Izbica there was no wedding, that day explosions were heard from tanks, artillery, Kalashnikovs and rifles, and 137 people were massacred. And then twice afterwards, another twelve or thirteen were killed. The entire village of Izbica was burned and looted. Two paralyzed people were burned in tractor trailers. He cannot escape responsibility, nor can he say that it wasn’t him. Naturally, families were separated, women were separated, knives were held to their throats, they were looted and beaten. These things were testified to in court,” Dani said.
The Basic Court in Pristina today sentenced Muhamet Alidemaj to 13 years in prison, the defendant accused of war crimes against the civilian population during 1999 in the village of Izbica.
According to the indictment, Alidemaj participated together with members of Serbian police and military forces in the killing of Albanian civilians in the Izbica massacre that occurred in March 1999. In this massacre, 130 Albanians were killed and massacred.
