The Basic Court in Pristina recently issued a ruling regarding the actions of Xhelal Sveçla, the acting Minister of Internal Affairs. The court found Sveçla guilty of the criminal offense categorized as the “Use of a weapon or dangerous instrument.” This conviction stemmed from the deployment of tear gas inside the Parliament building on March 21, 2018. Conversely, the court issued a dismissal ruling concerning the charge of “Obstructing an official in the performance of official duties,” citing the defense of prescription.
According to Sabit Sadikaj, head of the judicial body, Sveçla was convicted specifically because the use of the gas canister within the Parliament hall impeded the continuity of the ongoing session. Sadikaj stated that the deployment of the canister rendered it impossible for the parliamentary session to proceed. The ruling addresses the specific mechanism by which the charges were levied.
The court determined that the act of introducing the gas into the hall constituted the misuse of a dangerous instrument, leading to the guilty verdict on that specific count. The decision clarifies the legal findings regarding the incident, separating the conviction for the physical act of deployment from the charges related to obstructing official duties.
Topics: #tear #gas #found
