Hashim Thaçi will remain in custody until the judgment is announced in the joint trial against him, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi, and Jakup Krasniqi.

The former president’s request for release was rejected by the Trial Panel of the Specialist Chambers in The Hague, which ordered the continuation of the detention measure. This marks the 27th decision to extend Thaçi’s detention.

In the decision taken on August 10, the judges concluded that, at this stage, they do not have sufficient information to assess that Thaçi might evade justice if released.

Despite this, the Trial Panel assessed that there continues to be a sufficient risk that he will obstruct the progress of the proceedings at the Specialist Chambers or influence witnesses.

“The Panel concludes that, at this time, there continues to be insufficient information before it that would justify a finding that Mr. Thaçi might evade justice if released. However, the Panel is satisfied, based on the relevant standard, that there is a sufficient risk that Mr. Thaçi will obstruct the progress of the Specialist Chambers’ proceedings and that he will commit further crimes against those perceived as opponents of the KLA, including witnesses who have provided evidence in this case,” the decision states.

The final judgment in the proceedings against Thaçi, Veseli, Selimi, and Krasniqi is expected to be made public on September 16, 2026.

Presiding Judge Charles Smith, through the same decision, has instructed the parties not to submit any further motions for the next review of Thaçi’s detention. According to the deadlines, this review was due to take place on October 9, 2026.

The Trial Panel assessed that such a review is, at this moment, no longer necessary, as the hearing for the pronouncement of the judgment is scheduled for September 16.

“The Panel notes that, in accordance with Article 41(10), the next review of Mr. Thaçi’s detention is, in principle, set to take place on Friday, October 9, 2026, unless the Trial Judgment is announced in the meantime,” the decision specifies.

The judicial process against Thaçi, Veseli, Selimi, and Krasniqi has been underway in The Hague since 2023. The prosecution charges them with a series of criminal offenses allegedly committed during and after the war in Kosovo, while all four defendants have pleaded not guilty.

The post Special Court leaves Thaçi in detention, assesses that risk of ‘further crimes’ exists appeared first on Albeu.com.

Albulena Haxhiu, acting president, described the establishment of the Special Court as an unjust and harmful step, while expressing hope that the request of the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office would be corrected.

“Being fundamentally unjust, it naturally reminds us, as the years go by, of how harmful the decision to establish the Special Court was. I hope that the Court will correct the unjust request of the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office,” Haxhiu said in an interview with Kosovapress.

According to her, the establishment of this court constitutes a historic mistake and will forever be remembered as one of the most harmful decisions taken by the Assembly of Kosovo.

“We have considered it one of the historic mistakes that will forever be remembered as a harmful decision by the Assembly; it is precisely the establishment of the Special Court,” Haxhiu said.

The post Haxhiu hopes the Special Court will correct the Specialized Prosecutor’s unjust request appeared first on Albeu.com.

Journalist Nefail Maliqi strongly opposed the idea, asking why Kosovo should suffer because of political or judicial proceedings and the decisions associated with them, “Bota sot” reports.

In his response, Maliqi asks why Kosovo should burn when Serbia had already burned it in 1999. He recalls that the KLA had extinguished the Serbian flames and liberated the country.

He says he opposes such an act even if, as he calls him, the “flamethrower” Naiti wants Edi Rama to burn, whom he says had sent KLA leaders to The Hague.

Maliqi states that he also disagrees with the idea of burning the 82 MPs who raised their hands in favour of establishing the Special Court.

He also asks why there are no calls for Serbia, the UDB or the Special Court itself to burn.

According to Maliqi, Kosovo should not burn, because Serbia had burned it in 1999 and, before that, for decades.

The post Maliqi Responds to Nait Hasani: Why Should Kosovo Burn Over the Special Court? appeared first on Albeu.com.

The Special Court has granted the defence’s request to summon and question former MP Halit Valteri as a witness in the trial against Amar Shkëmbi and Bledar Polovina.

The two defendants are accused by SPAK of involvement in the attack at the Shkozet overpass, where former prosecutor Arjan Ndoj was the target and was himself injured.

Andi Maloku, who was driving the vehicle and served as the former prosecutor’s driver, was killed in the attack, while Arjan Ndoj and Aleksandër Laho were injured.

The post Attempt on Arjan Ndoja: Special Court Grants Request to Question Former MP Halit Valteri appeared first on Albeu.com.

According to Gjinovci, Rama’s statement that before taking office Kosovo was told what to do, but no longer after, is completely inconsistent and serves to hide the truth.

He stressed that Rama is now trying to ease tensions with Kosovo as he faces daily protests by thousands of citizens, but he cannot erase the past. Gjinovci recalled that the same prime minister had traveled to Pristina by helicopter, invited by former President Hashim Thaçi, to persuade Kosovar lawmakers to approve the establishment of the Special Court.

This, according to him, proves Rama’s open involvement in Kosovo’s internal decision-making, dismissing his claim that he no longer interferes in the affairs of the neighboring country.

The post Gjinovci accuses Rama of lying and interference in Kosovo: He came by helicopter for the Special Court appeared first on Albeu.com.

As soon as she arrived at the Special Court, Kryemadhi briefly spoke to reporters and said that during today’s hearing she would address allegations of manipulation in video messages.

“Today is the day of truth. I have the defense and I will unravel all the manipulations that have been made in the video messages. We will inform you as soon as the proceedings begin. I invite you to be there,” she said.

The post Kryemadhi arrives at the Special Court: Today the truth comes to light, I will clarify every manipulation appeared first on Albeu.com.

The mayor’s wife requested the suspension of the judicial review for 63 days following the birth of the child.

Meanwhile, her lawyer, Gurali Brahimllari, argued that Xoxa is unable to review the contents of the case materials and communicate freely with her defense lawyers after giving birth by surgery.

SPAK, meanwhile, left to the court’s discretion the possibility of separating the case from Veliaj and the other defendants, but the court rejected it.

The post Ajola Xoxa requested a 63-day postponement of the hearing after giving birth, the Special Court rejects it, hearing postponed to July 21 appeared first on Albeu.com.

It is learned that the reason for the postponement was the absence of Fatime Kryemadhi, her defense lawyer, and defendant Pirro Xhixho, while the next hearing has been scheduled for July 13.

These three defendants are being tried separately from former President Ilir Meta and former MP Monika Kryemadhi, after the court accepted their request for an abbreviated trial. This procedure allows them to benefit from a one-third reduction in sentence if they are found guilty, with the case being reviewed only on the basis of the files compiled by SPAK.

According to SPAK’s investigation, the defendants are accused of corruption, money laundering and concealment of assets. The investigation has focused on undeclared contracts for medical services, unjustified financial transactions through family members, as well as suspicions of illegal lobbying abroad and the “CEZ-DIA” affair.

The post CEZ-DIA case: Special Court postpones hearing for Fatime Kryemadhi, Ema Çoku and Pirro Xhixho appeared first on Albeu.com.

The court explained that setting this date is linked to the large volume of evidence and the complexity of the procedure, which requires a full and well-reasoned review of the case.

Lawyer Blerim Bujrani also spoke about the postponement, assessing that the decision is precisely linked to the large amount of evidence and the need for the case to be analyzed carefully.

He stresses that the prolongation of proceedings and lengthy pretrial detention damage the credibility of the justice system, while expressing the expectation that the final decision will be acquittal.

“The court can make this postponement based on the volume of materials, testimonies and evidence that have been presented. The intention is to slow down the process of issuing the verdict for reasons of greater certainty in decision-making.

Second, the court is obliged to decide with a verdict within a proper timeframe, without deviation, meaning a reasonable procedural time as a principle of international justice or based on international human rights conventions. Therefore, basic human rights must not be violated.

This court has not really enjoyed any trust anyway, especially I am speaking about Kosovar professionals. This court has acted more as an international one than a domestic one.

Lengthy pretrial detention undermines the credibility of the judiciary in general. I think the verdict should have been announced earlier so that the other procedures could move forward properly, but what seems important now is for there to be an acquittal verdict, and that is why the defense or the lawyers for the parties are remaining silent. They want to see a normal acquittal decision, without problems and appeals in the other procedural stages,” he told the newspaper “Bota sot”.

The post Lawyer explains the reasons for the postponement of the verdict and the effects of this delay appeared first on Albeu.com.

According to him, during inspections he offers detainees the opportunity for private and confidential meetings. “As part of the inspections, I offer meetings to detainees, in a private and confidential manner. Some of them have met with me, some have not.”

Spera also wrote that in the past week he carried out his 11th inspection and that he is satisfied that the detention conditions meet the highest standards.

Earlier, Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Jakup Krasniqi and Rexhep Selimi, who are facing war crimes charges in The Hague, sent a letter to Ombudsperson Pietro Spera.

In this letter, the former KLA leaders emphasize that the Specialist Chambers were established to provide an adequate response to the allegations in Dick Marty’s Report, while complaining that the proceedings against them are being accompanied by irregularities.

The former senior state and KLA officials mentioned “prolonged delays in the process, delayed materials, excessive redactions,” assessing that these slow down the judicial process and endanger the principle of equality of arms in the proceedings.

The post Special Court Ombudsperson in The Hague, Pietro Spera: Not all detainees have agreed to meet with me appeared first on Albeu.com.