Skopje, 15 July 2025 (MIA) -- The Criminal Court found Ljube Krstevski and Branko Bilbilovski guilty in the Felix case trial that wrapped up Tuesday. Krstevski was given three months in jail, the country's first prison sentence issued for the crime of animal cruelty, according to animal rights activists.

Krstevski and Bilbilovski were accused of cruelly beating up a peaceful stray dog with a metal rod. The dog succumbed to the inflicted injuries and died on Jan. 7.

Judge Lidija Petrovska presided over the trial.

Animal rights activists welcomed the court ruling. In a press release signed by 15 animal welfare organizations, including Skopje's Green Humane City and Anima Mundi, Berovo's Pro Anima, Bitola's Little Heroes and Shtip's Save a Life, they said they would keep fighting for justice and for all animals' right to live lives free from abuse by humans. 

In sentencing the convicts, Judge Petrovska is quoted as saying in the press release that "issuing an effective prison sentence carries meaning for the protection of the public interest and will prevent similar actions in the future."

She said the Felix case trial had raised "moral concerns, especially in the light of increasing cases of animal cruelty."

"Imposing a prison sentence sends the message that these actions will not be tolerated and that all citizens have the responsibility of treating animals with compassion," Petrovska said, according to the activists who attended the trial.

Krstevski and Bilbilovski were charged with the criminal offense of killing and torturing animals under Article 233 Paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code, which prescribes a prison sentence up to three years for the crime. mr/