Hashim Thaci, the former president of Kosovo, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for committing war crimes. This ruling from the special court in Kosovo, which operates with international community support, was issued on Wednesday and immediately caused a wave of shock and anger among the citizens of Kosovo. Judges at the Kosovo Specialist Court in The Hague found Thaci and three other former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) guilty of illegal detentions, torture, murder, and inhumane treatment during the war from 1998 to 1999.
Angry Reactions and Protests in Kosovo
Thaci's conviction was unacceptable to many Albanians in Kosovo, who still regard him and his colleagues as heroes of the country's independence movement. Following the ruling, a group of youths marched in Pristina towards the headquarters of the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX), chanting slogans while holding KLA flags. This protest led to clashes with riot police and stone-throwing at the building.
Read more: Building Collapse in Gaza Claims 21 Lives, Including 11 Children
While some protesters remained in front of the EU mission building, blocking traffic, others went to Pristina Airport to welcome Thaci's children, Ondrej Thaci and Klestor Veseli. Simultaneously, gatherings were also held in The Hague, which involved brief clashes with police.
Political and Social Implications of the Court Ruling
The trial and conviction of Thaci remain highly controversial in the country of about 1.6 million people. Albin Kurti, the Prime Minister of Kosovo, described the verdict as a "great and harmful punishment" and called for a review of the ruling. He wrote in a Facebook message: "This outcome is unjust, but it is not final and will be reviewed in the appeal stage." Thaci, along with other senior former KLA figures, Jakup Krasniqi, Rexhep Selimi, and Kadri Veseli, was tried and convicted. Krasniqi received a 25-year sentence, Selimi 13 years, and Veseli 18 years in prison.
This court, based in the Netherlands and staffed by international judges, was established under Kosovo law with a mandate to address crimes attributed to members of the KLA during the war. Charles Smith, the presiding judge, highlighted the serious nature and scope of these crimes in reading the verdict, noting that it includes 96 cases of murder of Albanians, Serbs, and Roma.
Amid these developments, Belgrade also expressed dissatisfaction with the court's ruling. Aleksandar Vucic, the President of Serbia, stated: "We have neither reason to celebrate nor to mourn." He criticized the court for ignoring crimes committed against Serbian civilians, adding: "Serbs will always be war criminals, while others will always be seen as liberators and heroes."
Read more: Disaster in Gold Mine in Sudan: Over 60 Miners Killed · UK Police: Face Covering in Anti-Immigrant Protests is Prohibited
