BELGRADE -- Four former Serbian police officers were sentenced by a Belgrade court to a total of 68 years in prison for killing 50 Albanian civilians -- 23 people from one family -- in the Kosovar town of Suva Reka in 1999, RFE/RL's South Slavic and Albanian Languages Service reports.
Radoslav Mitrovic, the then-commander of Serbia's special police, was found not guilty of ordering the killing, since there was no evidence his units were in Suva Reka the day of the crime.
Charges were also dropped against one policeman and two others were released.
Natasa Kandic, a Serbian human rights activist and the lawyer for the Albanian family that lost nearly two dozen members, told RFE/RL that "the sentences and the explanations given by the court do not serve justice."
Dzelal Berisa, a member of the same family, said he feels betrayed by the lenient sentences.
Similarly, Idriz Hadzijaj, whose daughter, son-in-law, and five grandchildren were killed, said she is disappointed that so many people were able to "walk away from justice."
Radoslav Mitrovic, the then-commander of Serbia's special police, was found not guilty of ordering the killing, since there was no evidence his units were in Suva Reka the day of the crime.
Charges were also dropped against one policeman and two others were released.
Natasa Kandic, a Serbian human rights activist and the lawyer for the Albanian family that lost nearly two dozen members, told RFE/RL that "the sentences and the explanations given by the court do not serve justice."
Dzelal Berisa, a member of the same family, said he feels betrayed by the lenient sentences.
Similarly, Idriz Hadzijaj, whose daughter, son-in-law, and five grandchildren were killed, said she is disappointed that so many people were able to "walk away from justice."