Former President of Kosovo sentenced to 25 years in prison for war crimes

Former President of Kosovo sentenced to 25 years in prison for war crimes

The special war crimes court in Kosovo sentenced the accused Thaçi, former president, to 25 years in prison for war crimes, including murder, torture and illegal detention.

This court, based in The Hague, announced on Wednesday, September 25, that Thaçi was found guilty in connection with the murder of 96 political opponents and individuals suspected of collaborating with Serbian security forces.

Accused Thaçi denied all charges against him.

These crimes occurred during the 1998-1999 war when Thaçi was one of the senior commanders of the "Kosovo Liberation Army". This group was composed mainly of ethnic Albanians who fought for Kosovo's separation from Serbia.

After the war, the accused Thaçi became one of Kosovo's most important political figures, serving as prime minister from 2008 to 2014 and president from 2016. However, in 2020, after the indictment was approved, he resigned from office and, after being arrested, was transferred to the detention center of the special court in Kosovo in The Hague.

Kosovo's special court was established in 2015 to handle charges related to crimes by former members of the Kosovo Liberation Army. This court is located in The Hague and operates under Kosovo law with international judges and staff.

Four days before the accused's verdict, tens of thousands of people demonstrated in Pristina, Kosovo's capital, in support of him and three other former commanders of the Kosovo Liberation Army, demanding their acquittal and release.

Many Albanians of Kosovo origin see the accused Thaçi and other former commanders of the Liberation Army as the "face of the struggle for this country's independence".