Two suspects sentenced to one month in custody for inciting hatred between religious groups

The Special Prosecution's request to order pre-trial detention for two people arrested on Thursday on suspicion of having committed the criminal offense of "Inciting Discord and Impatience" has been approved. In the pre-trial detention request, the prosecution listed details regarding the suspicions

The Basic Court in Pristina on Friday sentenced Muhamet Musliu and Alban Bibaj to one month in detention, on suspicion of having committed the criminal offense of "inciting discord and intolerance".

They are accused of language used on social media that incited religious hatred.

After the hearing, the prosecutor in the case, Fikrije Krasniqi-Fejzullahu, justified the need for pre-trial detention, which the lawyers had opposed. She indicated that the cases against the suspects are separate.

"The two cases are separate and it is not a common case, but the criminal offense is the same, but of course committed in different ways, not in a completely identical manner," Krasniqi-Fejzullahu emphasized.

According to the Prosecution's request for detention, which was obtained by KOHA, the defendant Bibaj is suspected of having, since 2005 and continuously, publicly incited and spread hatred and intolerance between religious groups.

"He has called for joining armed wars and the fight for jihad, as well as other posts where he expresses strong calls for religious extremism and publicly supports the actions taken by the Islamic state 'ISIS', as well as calling for opposing the democratic system, state symbols, and laws that are voted on or originate from the Parliament or Government of the country," the Prosecution's request for the detention of suspect Bibaj states.

Details are also provided in the Prosecution's request for suspect Musliu.

"He has published photographs and propaganda materials containing violent scenes, such as beheading those who do not respect the Islamic religion, has called for massacres against Jews and Christians, and has called for spreading fear in non-Islamic lands, according to ISIS propaganda methods," the Prosecution's request states.

Bibaj was arrested on Thursday in Malisheva, while Musliu was arrested in Fushë-Kosovo Polje, during an anti-terrorism operation, for involvement in activities related to inciting discord, intolerance and the dissemination of terrorist propaganda.