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Medicus: Five guilty in Kosovo human organ trade case Medicus: Five guilty in Kosovo human organ trade case
(35 minutes later)
An EU-led court in Kosovo has found five people guilty in connection with a human organ-trafficking ring.An EU-led court in Kosovo has found five people guilty in connection with a human organ-trafficking ring.
The five are accused of carrying out dozens of illegal transplants at the Medicus Clinic in the capital, Pristina.The five are accused of carrying out dozens of illegal transplants at the Medicus Clinic in the capital, Pristina.
Meanwhile two former government officials also charged in the case have been cleared of involvement.Meanwhile two former government officials also charged in the case have been cleared of involvement.
The trade was discovered when a Turkish man collapsed after having one of his kidneys removed at the clinic.The trade was discovered when a Turkish man collapsed after having one of his kidneys removed at the clinic.
The case was tried by Eulex, the European Union's law and order mission in Kosovo.
Urologist Lutfi Dervishi was sentenced to eight years in prison for organised crime and human trafficking. His son, Arban, was sentenced to seven years and three months, while three other defendants received between one and three years' imprisonment.
Meanwhile Kosovo's former health minister, Ilir Rrecaj, was acquitted on the charge for abusing official position or authority.
'Extreme poverty'
The special court heard that the Medicus Clinic recruited poor people from across eastern Europe and central Asia, promising them 15,000 euro (£12,600) for their organs.The special court heard that the Medicus Clinic recruited poor people from across eastern Europe and central Asia, promising them 15,000 euro (£12,600) for their organs.
Donors came from Moldova, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkey and lived in "extreme poverty or acute financial distress", the indictment said.
Recipients would pay up to 100,000 euro to receive a transplant.Recipients would pay up to 100,000 euro to receive a transplant.
The case was tried by Eulex, the European Union's law and order mission in Kosovo. Prosecutors alleged that at least 30 illegal kidney removals and transplants were carried out at the clinic in 2008.
Five years on from its unilateral declaration of independence, the country's own judiciary is still weak and vulnerable to external influence, reports BBC Balkans correspondent Guy de Launey. Eulex takes on particularly sensitive cases. The organ trade case qualified due to the involvement of two government ministers, reports BBC Balkans correspondent Guy de Launey.
Eulex takes on particularly sensitive cases. The organ trade case qualified due to the involvement of two government ministers, adds our correspondent. Five years on from its unilateral declaration of independence, the semi-autonomous region's own judiciary is still weak and vulnerable to external influence, our correspondent says.
Kosovo has been haunted by another alleged case of organ-trafficking dating back to the war in 1999.
In that case, which has never been proven, Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) militants allegedly trafficked the organs of Serb captives they later killed.