Briefly Noted

Beqaj was freed from the UN detention unit on March 8 after undertaking not to contact any witness connected to proceedings before the court until he returns there to face trial.

The father of six was ordered not to travel more than 20 kilometres from the Kosovo town of Stimlje/Shtime and he must report to UNMIK every week, or he will be arrested and returned to The Hague.

“Under the circumstances, the chamber is satisfied that the accused will not threaten, intimidate or pose any danger to witnesses or victims and that he will appear for trial,” presiding Judge Liu Daqun said in his March 4 decision on the matter.

At his initial appearance on November 8, Beqaj denied interfering in the proceedings against Fatmir Limaj, Isak Musliu and Haradin Bala, who are accused of running a prison camp in the village of Lapusnik where Serbs and Albanians suspected of collaborating with them were kept in brutal conditions, beaten and often killed.

The indictment against Beqaj alleges that he claimed to have received calls from Musliu in The Hague and to be speaking on behalf of both Musliu and Limaj. It is also alleged he suggested to one witness that Musliu might reward him with land should the witness withdraw his testimony.