LAWYER BEATEN UP IN PRISTINA

PRISTINA, April 10 (Hina) - Unknown persons under disguise were reported last night to have beaten up the prominent Kosovo lawyer and human rights promoter Fazli Balaj. The assault occurred in his Pristina flat. Balaj suffered serious injuries and had to ask medical assistance, the Kosovo human rights committee said on Monday. Disguised assailants were speaking Serb language. They had threatened Balaj with a gun first, then started to beat him. After several other tenants had appeared, they fled in a white "Lada" car, report said. Considering the background of the attack, Balaj said to the press he could think of two possibilities: either the assailants were policemen or the police had organized the attack, in order to sow terror and uncertainty. The Kosovo Human Rights Committee condemned the assault against the lawyer, a Committee member. Their statement expressed doubt that the victim was chosen deliberately, warning the public of Serbian police's criminal actions against the Committee. (Hina) bk 101301 MET apr 95