Criticism that the hearing on the case of Liridona Ademaj was closed to the public, the Court of Appeal cites “the protection of private life” as a reason
tidings
Express Newspaper
29/10/2026 16:12
The Court of Appeal has come out with a clarification after criticism for holding the court session in the case of Liridona Ademaj closed to the public.
The court said that the session was held partially open to the public, while a part of it was closed, adding that this was done to protect the private lives of those who were part of the procedure.
“This decision was taken by the judicial panel of the criminal case in question, in accordance with the legal provisions of the criminal procedure, taking into account the nature of the cases dealt with, which presented the need for the protection of the private and family life of the participants in the procedure. We inform you that, in this criminal case and in the procedure developed in the first instance, part of the court sessions were held behind closed doors”.
The Court of Appeal said that it “remains committed to transparency and fair information of the public, while simultaneously respecting the legal obligations related to the development of judicial procedures and the protection of the rights of the parties”.
Those convicted in the first instance for the murder of Liridona Ademaj, Naim Murseli, along with the other two convicted for this case, Granit Plava and Kushtrim Kokalla, appeared today before the Court of Appeal for the session of the College where the appeals against the decision of the Basic Court in Pristina, by which they were found guilty, will be elaborated.
After they were taken to court, the hearing was closed to the public.
The media lawyer, Flutura Kusari, who accompanied Liridona’s family, said that there is no legal reason for this hearing to be closed to the public, while she said that this lack of transparency will damage the Court of Appeal and will send a message that femicide cases are not judged with complete transparency “as they deserve”.
