PRISTINA POLICE ACCUSED OF TORTURING KOSOVO ALBANIAN

( Editorial: --> 2544 ) BEOGRAD, May 8 (Hina) - The Humanitarian Rights Fund in Belgrade on Friday accused Pristina police of torturing a Kosovo Albanian Arsim Krasniqi for several hours on April 30, and then carving a cross into his back with a knife. Krasniqi, who works as a street cleaner in Pristina, said that on that day six policemen approached him while he was cleaning the streets surrounding the local county court. While asking him questions about the whereabouts of Kosovo Liberation Army members and his alleged ties with them, they started hitting him with clubs and kicking him, reported the Humanitarian Rights Fund. The Fund reports how Krasniqi was then taken to a police station, where he was threatened and beaten. He was also tied to a radiator and a cross was carved into his back with a knife. Fund investigators saw Krasniqi's injuries and are in possession of the photographs which show them. Krasniqi recognised three policemen, who were later identified. The Fund stresses that the Krasniqi torture is the second case of "police brutality towards members of non-Serb nationality". They recalled a case in Pec last month, when the police branded Sok Rugovac of Rozaj with a soldering iron, carving the name of Milo Dukanovic into his chest. (Hina) lm jfk /mb 081949 MET may 98