The prosecutor in the case of Jelena Gjukanoviq, Bekim Kodraliu, said her six-year sentence for the criminal offense of espionage sends a clear message that no one will be above the law.
Kodraliu said concrete measures will be taken in the prosecution and investigation of all perpetrators involved in espionage-related criminal offenses.
During the trial, Kodraliu had requested that Djukanovic be sentenced to 25 years in prison. Asked about the six-year sentence, he said the verdict would be analyzed and assessed.
“The Special Prosecution worked in close coordination with security institutions, the Kosovo Police, the counterterrorism department, and especially the Kosovo Intelligence Agency. As a result of this cooperation, we secured concrete and sufficient evidence proving that the defendant, Djukanovic, carried out illegal activities that assisted the Serbian secret agency BIA in implementing its narrative against the interests of Kosovo. From here, we send a clear message that no one will be above the law. We will undertake all concrete measures in the prosecution and investigation of all perpetrators of these criminal offenses that threaten the constitutional legal order, national security, and the lives of Kosovo’s citizens and officials. We will accept the court’s verdict and, after analyzing it, we will assess the court’s sentencing decision,” Kodraliu said.
Meanwhile, Djukanovic’s lawyer, Predrag Mikovic, said they would appeal all the way to the Constitutional Court over what he described as a violation of privacy rights regarding the search of the defendant’s phone.
Mikoviq added that the other evidence does not provide sufficient grounds to prove that Djukanovic committed the criminal offense of espionage.
According to him, the verdict will not stand.
“The court decided that the phone searches could be used as legal evidence even though there was no court order authorizing the search of the phone. We will appeal this decision and fight all the way to the Constitutional Court, and we will not give up in this fight. This concerns privacy rights guaranteed by the constitution for every citizen. Imagine if someone took your phone today — would you feel comfortable with it being searched without a court order? That is exactly what happened here. On the other hand, I believe the other evidence also does not provide any substantial proof that she committed the criminal offense she is accused of. As you heard, there were very few hearings, only two sessions, and during the first one we analyzed that evidence. We will speak in more detail about it in the appeal and explain what we think about it, because I do not want to go into further detail here. In the end, we will appeal, and I know this verdict will not survive,” Mikovic said.
The Basic Court of Prishtina sentenced Jelena Djukanovic, an official of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe mission in Kosovo, to six years in prison on espionage charges.
According to the prosecution, the case is linked to activities that endangered the constitutional order and state security.
