Shock in Kosovo as Hague Convicts Former President Thaci
- On Wednesday, the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague convicted four former Kosovo Liberation Army leaders of war crimes, prompting protesters in Pristina to throw stones at the government building and EULEX perimeter.
- The three-judge panel sentenced Thaci and Krasniqi to 25 years in prison, Veseli to 18 years, and Selimi to 13 years for war crimes against civilians, though charges of crimes against humanity were dismissed.
- Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti labeled the verdict an "unacceptable injustice," while Foreign Minister Glauk Konjufca called the conviction "a terrible judgment for Kosovo" and "a major blow to the state and to the domestic narrative."
- Acting President Albulena Haxhiu described the convictions as "deeply shocking," while The Democratic Party of Kosovo declared the judgment "unjust," stressing that the "battle for justice continues until the very end."
- Protesters also gathered outside The Hague courthouse following the ruling, underscoring tensions rooted in the 1998-99 Kosovo War, during which around 13,000 civilians were killed while fighting for independence from Serbia.
23 Articles
23 Articles
Many citizens continue to stand in Skanderbeg Square, in front of the Government building in Pristina, after today's verdict in The Hague against four former KLA leaders. The square has called for the institutions and deputies of the Kosovo Assembly to be close to the citizens and show unity at this moment. Nasim Haradinaj has requested that the Assembly meet and come up with a joint request, calling on the deputies to be with the citizens in th…
Kosovo Albanians are reacting with disappointment, disbelief, and anger to the 25-year prison sentence for former President Hashim Thaci. The Kosovo Tribunal in The Hague convicted him and three other former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK) this morning for war crimes, including the deprivation of liberty, ill-treatment, and torture of hundreds of people, and the deaths of 96 of them. These were Serbs and other opponents of the Kosov…
The condemnation of the former President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, and three other former members of the leadership of the Kosovo-Albanian Liberation Army (KLA) for war crimes led to angry protests both in front of the Kosovo Special Tribunal in the Dutch city of The Hague and in the Kosovar capital Pristina. Followers of Thaci went to the streets against the "devastationous verdict".
Shock in Kosovo as Hague convicts former President Thaci
The conviction in The Hague of former President Hashim Thaci and three former Kosovo Liberation Army leaders has caused consternation in Kosovo — both among political leaders and on the streets. DW reports from Pristina.
Four former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army were sentenced on Wednesday to heavy prison sentences by the specialized chambers that judged them in The Hague. In Pristina, the verdict fell like a thunderbolt, questioning the story of the national liberation struggle.
Dnevni list Danas
VijestiThe situation in front of the Kosovo Government is becoming tense, because a group of demonstrators threw stones at the Government building and broke several windows.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 57% of the sources lean Left
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
