Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci has been convicted of four war crimes and sentenced to 25 years in prison by the European Union backed Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague.
Thaci, 58, was found guilty of murder, torture, cruel treatment and arbitrary detention linked to Kosovo’s 1998 to 1999 war for independence from Serbia. He resigned as president nearly six years ago to face the charges.
The court also tried three other former Kosovo Liberation Army commanders, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi. All four denied the allegations.
Prosecutors had sought sentences of up to 45 years, accusing the former KLA leaders of targeting civilians and political opponents who were considered collaborators or traitors during the conflict.
Thaci stood silently in court as Presiding Judge Charles Smith announced the sentence. His supporters had held demonstrations in Pristina ahead of the verdict, with thousands gathering in the capital to demand the former KLA commanders be acquitted.
The court was established with international support and relies heavily on international staff because of concerns over witness safety. In a separate case, Thaci is facing allegations of witness intimidation, with that trial due to begin later this month.
Thaci joined Kosovo’s independence struggle after returning from political exile in Switzerland and became a senior political figure within the KLA. He later entered politics and became Kosovo’s president.
The Kosovo war claimed about 13,000 lives, most of them ethnic Albanians, while around one million ethnic Albanian Kosovars were forced from their homes. A 78 day NATO air campaign against Serbian forces helped bring the conflict to an end.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but Belgrade continues to reject the move. Relations between Kosovo and Serbia remain tense despite years of EU mediated negotiations.
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