Court gives Xhelal Sveçla a suspended sentence for throwing tear gas in parliament

The Basic Court of Pristina has issued its ruling against acting Interior Minister Xhelal Sveçla, sentencing him to one year in prison, suspended, for the criminal offense of “Use of a weapon or dangerous instrument.”

Sveçla was not present in the courtroom when the ruling was read.

The ruling was issued on September 2, 2026, when the Basic Court in Pristina found Sveçla guilty of using a weapon or dangerous instrument.

According to the court’s findings, he activated and threw a tear-gas canister into the Assembly chamber, making it impossible for the session to continue.

The incident occurred on March 21, 2018, during a session in which Kosovo’s Assembly was considering ratification of the Border Demarcation Agreement with Montenegro. The use of tear gas caused the meeting to be suspended and prompted lawmakers to leave the chamber.

The court hearing in the case had been scheduled for 9:00 a.m. at the Palace of Justice in Pristina. Judge Sabit Sadikaj had determined that Sveçla was the person who activated and threw the tear-gas canister.

In addition to this offense, Sveçla was also charged with “Obstructing an official person in the performance of official duties.” For this charge, the court issued a dismissal ruling because the criminal prosecution was statute-barred.