On 14 November 2024, the trial in the case of Sabit Januzi, Ismet Bahtijari, and Haxhi Shala will commence before the Kosovo Specialist Chambers (KSC) at 09:30.

According to the court announcement, the accused are charged with obstructing official persons in performing official duties and intimidation during criminal proceedings. Specifically, the indictment alleges that between 5 April 2023 and 12 April 2023, Mr. Januzi and Mr. Bahtijari, at Mr. Shala’s direction, met separately with a witness on two occasions to induce him to withdraw evidence or refrain from providing evidence in official proceedings before the KSC, including by use of serious threat and the promise of a gift or other form of benefit.

"On 14 November 2024, the Presiding Judge will open the trial, have the charges read out to the accused, inform them of their rights and obligations, and ask them whether they have understood the indictment and wish to confirm their earlier pleas of not guilty. The SPO will thereafter present its opening statement, followed by the opening statements of the Januzi Defence and the Shala Defence. As requested by the respective parties, the Trial Panel has allocated two hours for the SPO’s opening statement, one hour for the Januzi Defence opening statement and 30 minutes for the Shala Defence opening statement. The Bahtijari Defence will make their opening statement, as requested, at a later date, after the SPO has called its witnesses and presented its case. On 9 December 2024, the SPO will commence with the presentation of evidence and the calling of witnesses.

The hearing on 14 November 2024 is expected to be public and can be followed in Albanian, Serbian or English through the streaming page of the KSC website (https://www.scp-ks.org/en/streaming) with a 45-minute delay, or from the public gallery at the premises of the court.

Case History

Sabit Januzi and Ismet Bahtijari were arrested in Kosovo on 5 October 2023 and transferred to the KSC Detention Unit on 6 October 2023. At the initial appearance on 9 October 2023, both Mr. Januzi and Mr. Bahtijari pleaded not guilty to all charges in the indictment.

Haxhi Shala was arrested in Kosovo on 11 December 2023 and transferred to the KSC Detention Unit on 12 December 2023. At the initial appearance on 13 December 2023, Shala did not enter a plea. He pleaded not guilty to all charges at the further appearance on 15 December 2023.

On 13 December 2023, the SPO filed a request to join the cases against Mr. Januzi and Mr. Bahtijari with the case against Mr. Shala. On 8 February 2024, the Pre-Trial Judge granted the SPO request for the joinder of these two cases.

Having amended one of the charges for Mr Januzi and Mr Bahtijari on 8 July 2024, the further appearances of Mr. Januzi and Mr. Bahtijari took place on 12 July 2024, during which both accused pleaded not guilty to the new charge against them in the amended joint indictment.

On February 16, 2024, the SPO submitted its preliminary file, while the latest versions of the three Defense teams' preliminary files were submitted on September 2, 2024. The publicly redacted versions of the SPS, Shala, and Bakhtijar preliminary files are available.