Thaçi Denied Conditional Release Despite €50,000 Guarantee, Detention Extended

A financial guarantee of €50,000 has failed to persuade the single judge presiding over the second case against Hashim Thaçi and others for attempted obstruction of justice to grant him conditional release under the 14 conditions proposed by the defense in July of this year, Klan Kosova reports.

Judge Gosnell has ordered Thaçi’s detention to be extended for another two months. In his decision, he viewed positively the financial guarantee provided by Thaçi’s brother and two friends.

“The €50,000 financial security offered by family and friends, subject to forfeiture in the event of failure to attend hearings, further reduces such a risk [the risk of flight].”

Gosnell found that the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office had failed to demonstrate the existence of a genuine possibility of flight and therefore rejected this as grounds for extending his detention.

However, according to the judge’s reasoning, Thaçi could interfere with judicial proceedings under way at the Specialist Chambers or commit other similar offenses. For this reason, he will remain in detention at least until October 2026.

Hashim Thaçi is the only defendant in this case who is still being held at the Detention Center in Scheveningen. Meanwhile, Bashkim Smakaj, Fadil Fazliu and Isni Kilaj have been granted conditional release under 14 conditions, including bail, while Hajredin Kuqi has remained free while defending himself since the proceedings began.