Smilkovci Lake killings
2012 CE.
Shown on the map at 42.018°, 21.483°.
The Smilkovci Lake killings (Macedonian: Убиствата кај Смилковско Езеро) also called the Smilkovci Lake massacre (Macedonian: Масакрот кај Смилковско Езеро), was the killing of five ethnic Macedonian civilians that took place on 12 April 2012. They were shot and killed at a man-made lake near the village of Smilkovci, outside the Macedonian capital Skopje. According to the Macedonian Ministry of Internal Affairs, the attack was carried out with the intent to "incite fear and insecurity" and the ministry called it a "deliberate terrorist act aimed at destabilizing the country". The Helsinki Committee for Human Rights criticised the ministry for prematurely judging the suspects as guilty. The killings led to ethnic tensions between Macedonians and Albanians. On 2014, six defendants were sentenced to life imprisonment. One defendant was released due to lack of evidence. In 2017, Macedonia's Supreme Court overturned the convictions and ordered a retrial over procedural errors. In 2021, five men were once again found guilty and handed sentences ranging from nine years to life imprisonment.
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