Kosovo's Thaci Convicted of War Crimes, Sentenced to 25 Years
Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci was convicted of four war crimes counts and sentenced to 25 years by an EU-backed court in The Hague.
A European Union-backed court in The Hague convicted former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci of four counts of war crimes on Wednesday, sentencing him to 25 years in prison.
The 58-year-old resigned from office nearly six years ago to face charges tied to Kosovo's war for independence from Serbia. Judges at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers found him guilty of murder, torture, cruel treatment and arbitrary detention.
Thaci stood trial alongside three other former Kosovo Liberation Army leaders — Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi — who fought Serb forces in the 1998-99 war. All four pleaded not guilty and are widely regarded as national heroes in Kosovo.
The panel acquitted the defendants on six charges of crimes against humanity, ruling that prosecutors had failed to prove the crimes formed part of a widespread and systematic attack on civilians. They were convicted of the arbitrary detention of 385 people, cruel treatment of 49, torture of 303 detainees and the murder of 96 people.
Prosecutors had sought a maximum 45-year sentence for Thaci and his co-defendants. Both sides can appeal the judgment.
The verdict marks a sharp reversal for a figure once embraced by the West, invited to the 1999 peace talks in France and seen as the leader who could guide Kosovo to independence. As his trial ended in February, Thaci told judges he had stood with the people of Kosovo defending freedom, life and dignity, guided by Western ideals of democracy, equality and justice. The court ruled that he and his co-defendants targeted political opponents and civilians perceived as collaborators and traitors during their time in the KLA.
Kosovo Foreign Minister Glauk Konjufca condemned the verdicts.
Hundreds of supporters gathered at a park near the courthouse, some holding placards, draped in flags and visibly emotional as the judgment was delivered. Some clashed briefly with Dutch riot police, chanting in the rain as officers in riot gear, backed by police dogs and vehicles, stood guard.
"I don't think how can they can find him guilty if he fights for your own freedom. You can't justify it," said Ruzhdi Karolli, a Kosovo Albanian from the UK.
Shpetim Zibe, a Kosovo Albanian from Germany, said he was saddened because the outcome went against Albanian history. "We fight for our house, for our country, and therefore fighters fight for the people, for the freedom for Kosovo," he said.
Leart Hoxha, also from Germany, said the law had died for him. His uncle died in the war, and he questioned what the punishment meant. "They are punished for fighting for liberty," he said.