[新聞] Kosovo PM Named in Human Organ Scandal
標題: Kosovo PM Named in Human Organ Scandal
In a political bombshell for the Balkans, Kosovo's Prime Minister Hashim
Thaci has been named in a European report as the head of a 'mafia-like' crime
organization - accused of drug dealing, assassinations and organ smuggling.
The allegations threaten to derail Kosovo's efforts to gain fully-recognized
independence and could have a major impact on the country's relations with
the West.
The report claims that at remote bases like this so-called 'Yellow House' in
Albania, members of the Kosovo Liberation Army killed up to 500 prisoners and
removed their organs, so they could be sold to international buyers on the
black market.
The report's author, Council Of Europe Rapporteur Dick Marty, says the crimes
were covered up after the Kosovo war. "It was known by numerous people who
privately would tell you: 'well yes, we know but for reasons of political
opportunity we have decided or we feel we have the duty to keep quiet'," he
said.
The report even names Kosovo's Prime Minister, Hashim Thaci, as the head of
the criminal gang that profited from the organ trade and that also carried
out assassinations and drug trafficking. Thaci's party is still celebrating
its win in Sunday's election. He says the claims are an attempt to slander
the country's leaders.
"The scandalous report of the member of the European Council parliamentary
assembly, Dick Marty, is a document filled with slanders and lies, which
recycles 15 years old propaganda," he said.
Serbia has welcomed the Council of Europe report. Serb forces withdrew from
Kosovo after a NATO bombing campaign in 1999. Seventy-two countries have
since recognised Kosovo's independence, although Serbia still disputes the
claim.
James Ker-Lindsay of the London School of Economics has written a book on
Kosovo's efforts to gain independence. He says the accusations have the
potential to derail that progress.
"I think that this is going to make it a lot more difficult for supporters of
Kosovo's independence to gain more recognitions. And also we have questions
about political dialogue with Belgrade. The Serbian government has said it's
still interested in talking, but if these allegations are investigated and
there's a case to answer, I think it's going to be very difficult for the
Serbian government to continue talking with Thaci," he said.
The report claims that criminal gangs continued to harvest organs after the
war at this clinic near Pristina. And in fact, in a currently-ongoing court
case, seven people are on trial for trading in the organs of people living in
extreme poverty. Prosecutors claim poor people from Moldova, Kazakhstan,
Russia and Turkey were offered up to $20,000 for their organs, but were never
paid.
Surgeon Lutfi Dervishi is alleged to be the ringleader of the group. The
Council of Europe report also links him to the Kosovo Liberation Army's
alleged kidnapping and killing of Serb civilians for their organs. He denies
the charges.
The prosecutor in the current case, Jonathan Ratel, says there are good
reasons why Kosovo appears to be a hub for the illegal organ trade.
"Post-conflict states, where clinics can be set up quickly, the rule of law
or the legal regime or the health regime is weak, and persons can exploit
that. The opportunity for exploitation of persons by trafficking is immense,"
he said.
The Council of Europe has tabled the report for discussion next month and
will decide then whether to launch a criminal investigation into the
allegations against Prime Minister Thaci.
新聞來源: (須有正確連結)
http://tinyurl.com/2dyl66m
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12/24 18:59, , 1F
12/24 18:59, 1F