Serbia releases detained Kosovar police chief
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 2 November 2016 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Serbia releases detained Kosovar police chief, 2 November 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5975a1c410.html [accessed 21 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
November 02, 2016
Nehat Thaqi, the police chief in Kosovo's Mitrovica region
A Belgrade court has ordered the release of the head of police in Kosovo's northern Mitrovica region after detaining him in Serbia for more than one month.
Nehat Thaqi was arrested by Serbian police on September 29 at the Konculj border crossing near Mitrovica based on an international arrest warrant issued by a court in the Serbian city of Nis.
Thaqi had been suspected by Serbian officials of involvement in "terrorism" but was released on November 1 when prosecutors dropped all charges against him.
The arrest of Thaqi, 40, had increased tensions between Serbia and Kosovo, which was a Serbian province before declaring independence in 2008.
The Kosovar Foreign Ministry on October 31 issued a warning to its citizens about transiting through Serbia after another Kosovar Albanian was arrested on October 28.
"This arrest [on October 28] is unacceptable and endangers many processes achieved during the dialogue for the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Serbia refuses to acknowledge Kosovo's independence despite 112 countries around the world recognizing it as an independent state.
With reporting by AFP
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
