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Haradin Bala, a former Kosovo Liberation Army prison guard, was today granted short-term provisional release from the Tribunal's Detention Unit to travel to Kosovo on compassionate grounds. The Appeals Chamber's decision permits Bala, who last November was sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment for participating in the murder of prisoners and other crimes in Kosovo, to participate in
memorial services and the mourning period for his recently deceased brother.
Bala's temporary release is subject to specific terms and conditions laid out in the decision. The exact dates of his release and return to the Tribunal's Detention Unit are withheld from the public decision for security reasons.
This is the second time Bala has been granted temporary provisional release from the Tribunal, having been permitted to travel to Kosovo to attend his daughter's memorial service from 23 to 27 April 2006.
On 30 November 2005, the Trial Chamber sentenced Haradin Bala, a former prison guard in the Llapushnik/Lapušnik prison camp, to 13 years' imprisonment. Bala was found guilty of participating in the mistreatment of three prisoners at the prison camp, his personal role in the “maintenance and enforcement of the inhumane conditions” of the camp, aiding the torture of one prisoner, and
of participating in the murder of nine prisoners from the camp who were marched to the Berishe/Beriša Mountains on 25 or 26 July 1998 and killed. Bala appealed the sentence and the appeal is still pending.
Haradin Bala was indicted with Fatmir Limaj and Isak Musliu, former members of the KLA. Both Limaj and Musliu were acquitted of all charges and released. The Prosecution has filed an appeal in the case.
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The full text of the Decision is available on the Tribunal's website
http://www.un.org/icty/limaj/appeal/decision-e/060901.htm
Courtroom proceedings can be followed on the Tribunal's website at www.un.org/icty.
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