Lawyer Velija Muric, executive director of the Montenegrin Committee of Lawyers for Human Rights, sent an open letter to the Government of Montenegro, Ministry of Justice, Supreme Court and the Special Public Prosecutor, on the occasion, as he says, marking 18 April 1999 and crimes in the Rozaje area and the Kaludjerski Laz site when 22 civilians were killed.
Muric states that the crime was committed by members of former Army of Serbia and Montenegro, because the victims were ethnic Albanians and people of other religion, Dnevne Novine newspaper writes.
“Acting on behalf of the victims’ families and as a man who is committed to the protection of human rights and justice, I do not accept this or any alibi or excuse such as ‘there was a trial, defendants were acquitted and this case is closed for the state’. On the contrary, it turns out that state’s silence is chronic, as well as direct and indirect hiding of those who committed, lobbied and covered up the crime, and particularly delaying to confront victims and criminals, country and crime, injustice and justice, inhumanity and humanity in the true legal proceedings. The crime is made additionally complicated or it represents a kind of complicity or justification of the crime, which is, again, a crime itself,” Muric said.
He adds that fraudulent or improper accusations against a certain commander for alleged ordering the killing and several suspiciously selected members of the military units for the alleged killing of civilians at the start of the trial proved to be the classic judicial and legal farce.
“I do not agree to be a part of this terrible play, I responsibly certify that the acquittal was caused by very bad directed, written and legally unfounded indictment,” Muric said.
