Former Kosovo Liberation Army commander and former Democratic Party of Kosovo MP Azem Syla was released by the Basic Court in Prishtina today.

Syla and 21 others are accused of organized crime, bribery and money laundering.

In a post on Facebook, Syla’s defense attorney, Besnik Berisha, notified that his client had been set free and will stand trial outside of detention.

“Today, the Basic Court in Prishtina refused the Prosecution’s request to extend the measure of detention for Mr. Azem Syla and approved the defense’s request to release him immediately,” Berisha wrote.

Kosovo Judge Beqir Kalludra appointed to Azem Syla case

The notification about his release comes only weeks after the case was transferred from EULEX to local judges. Kosovo Judge Beqir Kalludra was appointed to the case.

Danilo Ceccarelli, the EULEX prosecutor on the case, raised concerns about rule-of-law last month when the case was transferred.

Syla’s case, known as the “Toka” (Land) case, includes allegations that a wide network of collaborators conspired and managed to appropriate socially owned property in Prishtina suburbs through organized crime, bribery and fraud. It is one of the biggest organized crime cases in Kosovo.