CLAIM SHE SPIED FOR SERBIA: OSCE employee detained in north Mitrovica!

The Basic Court in Pristina has ordered a detention measure of up to 30 days for J. Đ., a Serbian woman from North Mitrovica, who was arrested earlier this week on charges of allegedly committing the criminal offense of “espionage”.

These allegations were confirmed for KoSSev by J. Đ.’s lawyer, Predrag Miljković.

She will be placed in Lipljan, the only female detention center in Kosovo and Metohija.

Miljković specified that J. Đ. is charged with the criminal offense of espionage – Article 124 paragraph 3.

Paragraph three of this article states: “Anyone who joins a foreign intelligence network, collects data for it or in any other way assists its work, shall be punished by imprisonment of at least five (5) years”.

However, he could not provide other details about the procedure itself, as the procedure is currently closed to the public.

“By court decision, today’s session is closed to the public and no information should be available to the public,” Miljković said.

Despite this, several media outlets in Pristina reported today on the proceedings against J. Đ. while publishing her full name and surname, as well as her photograph.

Court: Espionage in complicity suspected

The detention decision was also confirmed in the meantime by the Basic Court itself, and as an explanation they stated “the existence of grounds for suspicion that she committed the criminal offense of espionage in complicity”.

“The court, after holding the hearing, assessed that the measure of detention in this criminal case is an adequate and necessary measure, because if the defendant is released, there is a risk of flight. Given the circumstances and manner of committing the criminal offense, she could easily escape and avoid criminal liability,” they stated.

The court also believes that J. Đ., if released, could influence evidence and witnesses and repeat the same criminal offense or commit other criminal offenses under the same or more serious circumstances.

They also assess that it is a criminal offense of a serious nature, and that detention is therefore necessary.

FIND OUT MORE:

Prosecutor’s Office on the arrest, Svečlja on alleged “espionage for Serbian authorities”

J. Đ. was arrested on February 28, about which the Kosovo Special Prosecutor’s Office reported on the same day, stating that she is suspected of espionage, and that it was preceded by a months-long investigation. She was immediately given a 48-hour detention and her apartment was searched.

On the same day, the Kosovo Minister of Internal Affairs, Xhelal Sveçla, announced a new detail, namely that this person was arrested on suspicion of allegedly committing the criminal offense of espionage for “Serbian authorities”.