By Christina Berger
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe
PRISTINA, Kosovo — Seven people have been accused of participating in an international organ-trafficking ring by European Union officials. The seven people, including doctors and a former Health Ministry official, have allegedly trafficked kidneys and other organs from impoverished people through a clinic on the outskirts of Pristina.
According to the AP, EU prosecutor Jonathan Ratel said in the indictment that an “organized criminal group” had trafficked persons into Kosovo for the purpose of removing “human organs for transplant to other persons”. Ratel is part of the EU’s rule of law mission, which handles serious crime in Kosovo.
The victims, who mostly came from impoverished areas of Turkey, Russia, Moldova, and Kazakhstan, were promised up to €14,500 ($20,000) for their organs. The organs were then sold to patients around the globe, from Israel to Canada, for between €80,000 and €100,000 ($110,000 and $137,000).
The organ-trafficking ring was first discovered two years ago, but it took time for investigators to learn the extent of the network. EU officials have recently made requests for evidence from Canada, Germany, Kazakhstan, and Turkey.
EU officials allege that the leader of the organ-trafficking ring is Dr. Lutfi Dervishi, who is a prominent surgeon and professor at Pristina University Hospital. His son, Arban Dervishi, ran the clinic. According to prosecutors, Lufti Dervishi recruited a Turkish doctor, Yusuf Sonmez, to perform organ transplants after Dervishi attended a medical conference in Istanbul. Moshe Harel, an Israeli citizen, allegedly identified, recruited, and transported the victims, as well as managed the cash payments before the surgeries. Along with those four, Illir Rrecaj, a former senior Health Ministry official, and two other doctors were also indicted.
The seven people were charged with counts of trafficking in persons, unlawful exercise of medical activity, and abuse of power. They were all released on bail and are not currently in custody.
Allegations have been made in the past that during the war dating back to 1999, the Kosovo Liberation Army kidnapped and killed Serb civilians for organ harvesting. These claims have been investigated, but never proven.
For more information, please see:
NYT — Seven Charged in Kosovo Organ-Trafficking Ring — 15 November 2010
AP — EU in Kosovo probes organ trafficking — 15 November 2010
BBC — Kosovo medics accused of trafficking kidneys — 12 November 2010
AP — EU prosecutor: 7 suspected of organ trafficking — 11 November 2010
