Journalist Valon Syla's attackers were motivated by religious beliefs, kosovo court says

The Basic Court in Pristina has assessed as an uncontconted fact that valon Syla's three attackers were motivated by religious beliefs to cause him injuries. The court also concluded that the attack on Sylla was intended to intrtify freedom of expression.

These findings are issued in the judgment published by the Basic Court in Pristina in the case of a two-year prison sentence against Lum Drvishi, Kenan and Okan Hasani, accused of attacking journalist Valon Syla.

"The Court as an important circumstance has also taken the basis that this criminal offence instages one of the vital human rights, bodily integrity and in such cases human life can be intact as one of the most absolute human rights recognized by the Constitution and international acts, and also, through this work has been attempted to intrage freedom of expression as the fundamental right of every human being" The judgment of the Special Department of the Basic Court in Pristina is stated with the president of the court, Judge Violeta Namani-Hajra and the sides Musa Konxheli and Arben Hoti.

Initially on December 7, 2023, the Basic Court in Pristina had announced the verdict, sentencing Lum Dërvishi, Kenan and Okan Hasani to two years in prison for the criminal offense "slight bodily injury", reports "The Oath of Justice".

In the 23-page judgment, the court in the part of the reasoning has pointed out that from the testimony of the injured Valon Syla, he managed to prove that the same was hit by Lum Dërvishi and two other people who he had not seen who they were.

Through the testimony given by Ilir Mirena, the court has established that after the show on television "T7" along with the injured Valon Syla they went to a restaurant in Pristina where at its entrance Syla was attacked by three people.

And from material evidence such as police report, quick-aid call sheet, report of University Clinical Center of Kosovo-UCKUK, medical and emergency expertise, the court has certified syla's head injuries after the physical incident with the accused.

According to the court, the uncontrolative fact is that on 11 April 2023 at 23:00 the accused Lum Dërvishi, Kenan and Okan Hasani were at the scene and that the same were involved in the clash and all this because the accused have not denied such a thing.

Also, as an uncontesting fact, there are also injuries that Syla has received from the physical incident and all this based on the expertise which the injuries have considered of light bodily nature.

Further, the fact that is not disputed about the court has also been circumstance that Syla on his social network Facebook had made a bat for prophet Muhammad and Prophet Isa with the following content: "The Prophet Muhammad sees in heaven the Prophet Isa (Jesus Christ) with a luxury expensive car and asks how you have an expensive car and I don't, He said, "I am the son of God."

The court also found that Syla had again posted a sarcasm video on Facebook about the Muslim religion when an imam had accepted a Mercedes car from his community.

Sipas vendimi të gjykatës thuhet se liria e shprehjes është e garantuar edhe në aspektin e çështjes së besimit dhe se asnjë qytetar sipas gjykatës nuk mund të vendoset mbi këto liri të garantuara edhe me Kushtetutë.

Kurse për lartësinë e dënimit gjykata ka sqaruar se duke llogaritur rrethanat lehtësuese: moshën relativisht të re të akuzuarve dhe se kanë shfaqur pendim kurse si rrethanë rënduese: peshën e veprës, këmbëngulësin për kryerjen e veprës penale, sjelljen e tyre në gjykatë ka ardhur në përfundimin se caktimi i dënimit me nga dy vite  burgim është adekuat.

Aktakuza ndaj Lum Dërvishi, Kenan dhe Okan Hasani ishte ngritur më 4 gusht 2023 nga Prokuroria Speciale e Republikës së Kosovës (PSRK), me arsyetimin se më 11 prill 2023, rreth orës 23:00, të njëjtit, të ndikuar nga ideologjitë ekstreme radikale të islamit, kishin lënduar lehtë të dëmtuarin gazetarin Valon Syla, pasi që ky i fundit paraprakisht kishte shkruar në profilin e tij në “Facebook” për profetin Muhamed dhe profetin Isa.

Prandaj, me këto veprime Dërvishi, Kenan dhe Okan Hasani ngarkoheshin për veprën penale “Lëndim i lehtë trupor”, vepër kjo e dënueshme nga gjashtë muaj deri në tri vite burgim sipas cilësimit juridik të bërë në aktakuzë.