
Singer Besart Kelmendi, known by his stage name Gjesti, has stated before the court that he committed the alleged acts in an emotional state and under the influence of affect.
According to the Prosecution file provided by the Oath for Justice, Kelmendi has apologized to the court, the prosecutor, and the injured party.
"I agree with my lawyer's statement. I want to inform the court that I am anxious and acted in a state of emotion. I apologize to the court, the prosecutor and the injured party," he stated during the hearing.
His lawyer has opposed the Prosecution's request for pre-trial detention, arguing that there is no risk that the suspect will repeat the criminal offense.
According to the defense, based on life experience and the psychological aspect, impulsive reactions usually only occur once and the risk of their recurrence is low.
The lawyer also emphasized that the case has received great public attention and that Kelmendi is fully aware of the investigation being conducted against him.
The defense also mentioned Article 159 of the Kosovo Criminal Procedure Code, which provides for the principle of proportionality in the determination of security measures, arguing that detention would not be a proportional measure.
According to defense attorney Artan Qerkini, two of the criminal offenses for which Kelmendi is suspected carry a sentence of up to one year in prison or even a fine.