Expected start of the trial against former KLA leaders in The Hague

Only one hour remains until the start of the session at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague, where the first-instance verdict for Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi, and Jakup Krasniqi will be announced. The session is scheduled to start at 10:00, while the public broadcast on the court’s official website will be delayed by ten minutes.

What are the charges against Thaçi and his co-defendants?

Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi, and Jakup Krasniqi — all former senior leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army during the 1998-1999 conflict — have been in detention in The Hague since November 2020, when the indictment against them was made public.

The indictment charges them with six counts of crimes against humanity, including persecution, imprisonment, other inhumane acts, torture, murder, and enforced disappearance. It also includes four counts of war crimes, such as unlawful or arbitrary arrest and detention, cruel treatment, torture, and murder.

According to the case file, the four were part of an organized criminal group that aimed to establish control through fear, mistreatment, and elimination of opponents.

The victims of the alleged crimes, as stated in the indictment, were Serbs, Roma, and Albanians who did not belong to the ranks of the KLA.

The number of those believed to have been killed reaches at least 102, while more than 20 people are still missing.

The prosecution also argues that the defendants, due to their leadership roles, bear responsibility for crimes committed by their subordinates.

All four defendants have denied any guilt for the charges brought against them.