Goran Stanisic

Kosovo's Supreme Court on Thursday made public its ruling confirming the sentencing of Goran Stanisic to 15 years' imprisonment for war crimes against ethnic Albanian civilians in the town of Lipjan/Lipljan during the Kosovo war in 1999.

The Supreme Court ruling upheld the previous Court of Appeals verdict convicting Serb wartime reservist policeman Stanisic.

Pristina Basic Court found Goran Stanisic guilty on Tuesday of war crimes against ethnic Albanian civilians in the town of Lipjan/Lipljan during the Kosovo war in 1999 and sentenced him to 20 years in prison.

In closing arguments at Pristina Basic Court on Thursday, the prosecution said it had been incontrovertibly proved that 13 ethnic Albanian civilians were killed in the village of Sllovi/Slovinje in the Lipjan/Lipljan municipality of central Kosovo during an attack by Serbian forces in April 1999, and called for Goran Stanisic to be found guilty of involvement.

Kosovo's Special Prosecution filed an indictment on Thursday accusing Goran Stanisic of committing war crimes against Kosovo Albanian civilians while he was a Serbian reservist policeman in 1999.

Pristina Basic Court on Monday remanded Goran Stanisic in custody for a month after he was detained at the Jarinje border crossing between Serbia and Kosovo on Saturday.