OVL UÇK: Biased prosecution tries to cover failures with latest requests

The Kosovo Liberation Army Veterans’ Organization has reacted sharply to the latest demands of the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office, which seek the conviction of Hashim Thaçi, Hajredin Kuçi, Fadil Fazliu, Isni Kilaj, and Bashkim Smakaj in the case related to obstruction of justice charges.

In a press release, OVL UÇK called these demands expected and leveled strong accusations against the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office, which it sees as biased in its treatment of former KLA fighters.

According to the veterans, the accusations are based on evidence they view as dubious, including documents originating from Serbia.

“It is almost impossible not to raise the question whether the SPO, faced with its own failures in the judicial processes in The Hague, is now seeking to justify its activity by pursuing an even more repressive line precisely in this obstruction of justice case,” the reaction states.

The veterans have accused the Prosecution of showing no sign of reflection on the flaws and inconsistencies of the evidence presented in its cases, adding that the demands for harsh prison sentences do not contribute to increasing trust in the justice system.

The organization has expressed concern that the SPO has built a “preconceived narrative” against the Kosovo Liberation Army and those who have contributed to it.

“OVL UÇK does not expect positive developments from such a prosecution, but, nevertheless, we hope for justice from the judges,” the statement emphasizes.

In conclusion, the OVL UÇK called for the final decision to be based on law and the highest principles of justice, distancing itself from what the organization describes as narrative constructions of the Prosecution.

“The war of the Kosovo Liberation Army cannot be criminalized through biased processes and justice cannot be built on the basis of political prejudices,” concludes the veterans’ reaction.