Albin Kurti
| Albin Kurti | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 March 1975 Pristina, Kosovo |
| Nationality | Albanian |
| Political party | Vetëvendosje! |
| Website | www.vetevendosje.org |
| Military service | |
| political representative | UÇK |
Albin Kurti (born 24 March 1975, in Pristina, Kosovo) is the leading activist and leader of VETËVENDOSJE!, and Deputy at Assembly of Kosovo. He came to prominence in 1997 as the vice-president of UPSUP, the University of Prishtina Student Union, and the main organiser of the non-violent demonstrations in autumn 1997 and spring 1998. When Adem Demaçi became the political representative of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), Albin Kurti worked in his office.
In April 1999, during the NATO's air strikes on Yugoslavia, he was arrested by Serbian forces and beaten up.[1] Later that year he was charged with "jeopardizing Yugoslavia's territorial integrity and conspiring to commit an enemy activity linked to terrorism," a crime that carries maximum penalty of 20 years' imprisonment, and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.[2] During the trial he refused to recognize the legitimacy of court by citing: "This trial has nothing common with the truth and with the justice. This trial serves to the daily politics of Milloshevic, who occupied Kosovo". When he was convicted he said: "It is not important if you convict me or how long. Everything I have said and done I did voluntarily and with dignity, I'm proud for this and if I would have the chance I would do it again." He was freed in December 2001 by Serbia's post-Milosevic government. He was released as a result of international pressure upon Serbia.
Since his release from prison, Albin Kurti has stayed outside party politics in Kosovo, but has been a severe critic of the UNMIK and of corruption. He has organised nonviolent protests in support of the families of those whose relatives disappeared in the war, and in favour of Kosovo self-determination.
On 23rd of April 2003 he graduated from "Computer and Telecommunications Sciences" at the University of Prishtina and continued to be an activist of civil and human rights.
He worked as an activist for "Action for Kosovo Network" (AKN), formed on 1997. In this way AKN secured continuity with a new beginning. AKN is a movement of young activists, their mission was society changes and creating an active society. Their activities were focused on three main fields: human rights and social justice, education, culture and art. AKN had many international activists as well.
On 12 June 2005 on the walls of UNMIK buildings, AKN acivisits wrote the parole "No negotiations, Self-Determination" this way AKN was transformed in "Self-Determination Movement". They continued to write paroles in many cities and villages in Kosovo and than they began to use many creative and nonviolent symbolic actions, and later massive demonstrates. Kosovo Police with the help of UN Police, arrested, jailed and convicted hundred of activists including Albin Kurti. Self-Determination Movement is demanding a referendum in Kosovo, as the only solution and peaceful right to decide the status of Kosovo. They say that only with referendum as a use of international right for self-determination, we can realize a democratic solution for Kosovo. Instead of negotiations which can compromise the freedom. Self-Determination Movement demands that people of Kosovo should have the right to decide for themselves. [3]
In February 2007 UN police from Rumania killed two unarmed protesters and injured 80 others with plastic and rubber bullets at a Vetevendosje rally , he was arrested. He was detained until July, and then kept under house arrest with police guarding his house. Amnesty International has criticised the irregularities in his prosecution. He was eventually sentenced to 9 months.
Kurti remains an advocate of "active nonviolent resistance".[4]
On 31 December 2011, he was voted as the "Personality of the year" in the prestigious Albanian Television Network "Top Media".
In 14 January 2012, Self-Determination Movement organized a peaceful demonstrate but Kosovo Police was violent with the peaceful land-seated protesters and used a brutal violence against them, allegedly with the order of Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci and Minister of Internal Affairs Bajram Rexhepi.
Transparency International said that Kosovo Police was violent and acted unlawfully.
