The motives behind the murder of the Serbian policeman by escaped Albanian prisoner Faton Hajrizi are the talk of the town of the moment. Even the discourse of this national conversation is inconsistent, or perhaps it would be better described as erroneous, since it goes from portraying Faton Hajrizi as a national hero to elevating his life’s distinguishing deeds—basically, a string of one crime after another – as “patriotic”. In Kosovo, equally the elderly and youth are talking about him; in Serbia and the surrounding area, his name is on most news headlines; many, especially in Belgrade, associate the state of Kosovo and its government with the murder Faton is accused of committing only a few days ago. Since last week, he has been the talk of the town. However, in what manner should we discuss this man? And what part do the government and Kosovar society play in the epilogue that his story took?
It would be wise as well as decent to tell his story correctly. Instead of using nationalist terms and invoking national patriotic colors to describe him, it would be more appropriate to consider the circumstances and course of his history as a prisoner and recidivist for less than the last 23 years. This article provides a more rational, objective, at the same time humane perspective on his actions, the institutional treatment he did (not) receive, and the role the state played in this entire situation.
His criminal record began very early in his life. It was the year 2000, just a few months after the war, when Faton, at the tender age of 14, grabbed a Kalashnikov from a Russian KFOR soldier and fatally shot him, following a conversation in which he accused the soldier of “cursing Albanians”. Faton confessed that his war experiences had traumatized him, also stating that “Russians are the same as Serbs.” This minor, accompanied by his parent, goes and surrenders himself immediately to the then-law and order forces in Kosovo, who, after a short time, sentence him to 6 years in effective prison. However, Faton’s testimonies, as well as those of those imprisoned with him, reveal that he has received the most mistreatment and incorrect prison approach possible. He claims to have spent years in a solitary cell without even the most basic necessities, and upon his release from the solitary cell, he was surrounded only by adult-age criminals, rapists, and serial killers. He spent the majority of his sentence in the North Mitrovica prison, sharing a cell with only Serbian prisoners. After these mistreatments, he manages to escape—not just once, but nine times. The year 2024 marked Faton’s 17th stay in prison. The extension of his sentence came as a result of numerous escapes as well as crimes committed during the periods on the run, thus making him the author of dozens of armed robberies in shops in Kosovo.
A poster put by two masked people in Podujevë city in Kosovo, in honor of Faton Hajrizi killing the Serb police in which it is stated: Two hands stand for one head and one head stands for one motherland. / credits: Perspektiva Plus
Article 3 of the code NR.03/L-193 of juvenile justice in the Republic of Kosovo can undoubtedly be considered as one of the most perfected articles for guaranteeing the most dignified and effective treatment for the resocialization of juvenile prisoners, because it says, among other things, that “the juvenile justice system aims at the welfare of the juvenile and ensures that any response to juvenile offenders is always proportionate to the circumstances of the offender and the criminal offense” and that “during the time of deprivation of liberty, pronounced as punishment, the juvenile perpetrator is offered education, psychological assistance, as necessary, and medical assistance, to facilitate his rehabilitation. Every juvenile deprived of liberty is treated humanely for the dignity of his human personality, and in this case, the personal needs of his age are taken into account. Specifically, we separate all juveniles deprived of liberty from adults, unless the juvenile’s interest dictates otherwise, and they retain their right to stay in touch with their family via correspondence and visits, unless the law specifies exceptional circumstances. We respect the child’s right to privacy at all stages to prevent harm from excessive publicity or labeling. In principle, no information is published that leads to the identification of the juvenile perpetrator.” However, based on the testimonies of his parents, family members, and Faton himself, all these points have been violated in the case of Faton.
Based on these data, it is clear that the Kosovo Correctional Service has failed to resocialize Fatoni; moreover, it has failed to stop him from escaping from prison not once but nine times in a row. Despite his assertion that all his escapes stemmed from his attempt to flee the horrific abuses he endured at the hands of correctional service officials, he argues that “I ran away because I thought I would not be able to survive the abuses and psychological and physical violence.”
Mensut Ademi, professor of criminology, said that “he was a minor, and the institutions failed to re-socialize and rehabilitate him. Science says that if not rehabilitated, a juvenile can become a professional criminal.”
The former director of Kosovo’s prisons, Sokol Zogaj, contacted by Perspektiva Plus, admitted that the responsibility for his escapes belongs to the state and that the institutions have completely failed in this aspect as a result of unprofessionalism.
He amongst others said that: “No, no, no, it is not right that they allowed him to transfer to another prison when he managed to escape nine times. Regardless, it had to be the decision of a group of experts—psychologists and sociologists—that would approve, not like that. It’s a big minus (for the Kosovo Correctional Service) that they didn’t work professionally. If he had escaped prison once or twice there would be hope for improvement, or so I know, but nine times is another topic,” said Zogaj.
A poster put by two masked people in Podujevë city in Kosovo, in honor of Faton Hajrizi killing the Serb police in which it is stated: Two hands stand for one head and one head stands for one motherland. / credits: Perspektiva Plus
Today, we are a few hours away from his last crime; he killed a Serbian policeman a few days ago during his 9th escape. Ivica Dacic, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs of Serbia, announced the killing of Faton Hajrizi by Serbian police forces near Loznica.
On the other hand, Minister Haxhiu, rather than discussing the responsibilities of the Kosovo correctional service, her own institution; that of the Ministry of Justice and of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kosovo, expressed doubts about the potential involvement of criminal groups from Serbia in the recent escapes of Faton by saying: “Such support is definitely intentional, organized, and connected with the intention to damage the public, constitutional, and legal order of the Republic of Kosovo. Offering the territory of Serbia as a shield against the prosecution of the criminal bodies of our Republic serves the crime and openly contributes to the violation of the institutional and legal stability of the Republic of Kosovo. The systematic frequency of these cases in this period has no other meaning than the aggressive political goal of our northern neighbor”.
While the Serbian media and the institutions there report that the Serbian police killed Faton, in Kosovo, the Albanian audience has created the image of a hero for him, to the extent that they even question his death. It is very important to reach social consensus, especially in the narrative created by young people who are admiring his figure, that Faton was not a hero and that the acts and murders he committed are not patriotic actions; on the contrary, they only harmed their state and the regional stability, we must use the legal system to reintegrate and resocialize prisoners, regardless of their age, because, among other things, this is the most humane reason for imposing the sentence: giving the prisoner a second chance and believing in their eventual improvement.
Author: Hanmie Lohaj
