Original article (in Albanian) was published on 06/12/2023
Reports of the arrest of a Serbian priest for funding the “Voluntary Movement for Abandoning the Islamic Faith” in Kosovo have been found to be untrue. After thorough checks, it’s clear that neither the Kosovo Police nor the Peja Prosecutor’s Office have detained anyone on such charges.
In late October, a video (achive) began spreading widely across various social media platforms. It was captioned: “Kosovo Police does not stop; it arrested the Serbian spy who funded the so-called ‘Voluntary Movement for Abandoning the Islamic Faith.'” This video featured footage of a police officer and an attendee at an event of the ‘Voluntary Movement for Abandoning the Islamic Faith,’ recorded on October 21, 2023.
Despite the lack of concrete evidence, this video led to its widespread sharing as factual news on several Albanian news portals. These articles, bearing titles like “Kosovo Police arrests the Serbian spy who funded the ‘Voluntary Movement for Abandoning the Islamic Faith,'” were prominently featured on websites such as tellalli.al and ekskluzive.al.
Our fact-checking colleagues from Kallxo.com, using their ‘Kripometri’ section, have verified the news in question.
Our fellow fact-checkers at Kallxo.com, through their ‘Kripometri’ section, have successfully debunked the reported news.
Shkodran Nikçi, the spokesperson for the Peja Prosecutor’s Office, clarified to ‘Kripometri’ that there have been no arrests related to this incident. However, he did mention that the Prosecutor’s Office has begun inquiries regarding potential incitement to hatred.
In addition, the Kosovo Police, in their communication with ‘Kripometri,’ confirmed that they have not made any arrests in this case. The only related action taken was the deportation of a Macedonian citizen back to the Republic of North Macedonia.
The official response from the Kosovo Police provided clarity on the matter. They stated, “In response to your inquiry, we confirm that the Department for Citizenship, Asylum, and Migration of the Kosovo Police has denied the residency extension request in the Republic of Kosovo for A.K., a citizen from North Macedonia, in accordance with the Law on Foreigners 04/L-219.” It appears this decision is at the root of the news widely circulated on various portals. In some reports, this denial of residency is linked to an incident at the Banjska Monastery, while others incorrectly associate it with the Deçan movement.
The statements from the “Voluntary Abandonment of the Islamic Faith, Movement” as well as those made after their public appearance, are part of the investigation by the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Peja.
This public appearance took place on October 20, and just three days later, Mayor of Deçan Municipality, Bashkim Ramosaj, convened the Council of the Islamic Community in this municipality.
“In today’s meeting with the Islamic Community in Deçan, we agreed not to contribute to polarization, division, and hatred among our citizens. Despite the organizations and calls that someone might have made, the Islamic Community and the citizens of Deçan, as always, contribute to coexistence, harmony, and the common good for the people and the state of Kosovo,” Ramosaj wrote in a Facebook post on October 23.