Editor Baton Haxhiu and writers Teki Dervishi and Din Mehmeti executed

(WiPC/IFEX) – NATO reports that it has received news of the summary execution of five leading ethnic Albanian figures in Pristina on 28 March 1999. Among them are said to be the editor-in-chief of “Koha Ditore”, Baton Haxhiu and writers Teki Dervishi and Din Mehmeti. These reports follow the murder on 26 March of lawyer […]

(WiPC/IFEX) – NATO reports that it has received news of the summary
execution of five leading ethnic Albanian figures in Pristina on 28 March
1999. Among them are said to be the editor-in-chief of “Koha Ditore”, Baton
Haxhiu and writers Teki Dervishi and Din Mehmeti. These reports follow the
murder on 26 March of lawyer Bajram Kelmendi and his two sons. International
PEN is condemning outright the killings of any civilians and calls on all
forces of influence in the conflict to do their utmost to end the pattern of
violence and murder.

**Updates IFEX alerts of 30 March and 29 March 1999**

Haxhiu was editor of “Koha Ditore”, the largest and most respected Albanian
language newspaper in Kosovo. The newspaper was forced to close down on 22
March after it received an enormous fine for publishing an article said to
“incite national hatred.” Haxhiu himself was personally fined an equivalent
of US$7,200. Haxhiu was an outspoken critic of the Serbian government and
had suffered harassment for his activities in recent years. Human Rights
Watch (HRW), which had worked closely with Haxhiu, describes him as “a vocal
proponent for international military action in Kosovo, even wearing a
T-shirt that said, mockingly: ‘Nato Air – Just Do It’ over a Nike [logo].”
HRW also reports that he was the father of a six-year-old boy.

Also among the executed was Fehmi Agani, aged 66 and a professor of
sociology, he was a founding member of the Democratic League of Kosovo and a
member of his party’s delegation to the Rambouillet peace talks. The four
men are said to have been executed on their return from attending the
funeral of lawyer Bajram Kelmendi, and his sons Kastriot, aged 30, and
Kustrim, aged 16.

International PEN is seeking further details of the writers Teki Dervishi
and Din Mehmeti, said to be among those executed. It does not as yet have
details of the fifth victim, named Alush Gashi.

Recommended Action

His Excellency Slobodan Milosevic

President of Yugoslavia

Savezna Skupstina

11000 Belgrade

Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

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Email: slobodan.milosevic@gov.yu

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