Hashim Thaci, former President of Kosovo, was convicted on Wednesday by a court supported by the European Union of four counts of war crimes and sentenced to 25 years in prison. This conviction was due to crimes committed during the war for independence of this country from Serbia in the years 1998-1999.
Details of the Conviction
Thaci, 58, who resigned from his position nearly six years ago to face these charges, was found guilty by a panel of judges in the special courts of Kosovo of murder, torture, cruel treatment, and arbitrary detention. He stood in silence while wearing a suit as Chief Judge Charles Smith read the verdict.
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Public Support and Charges
Thaci faced several counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, and persecution. He, along with three other former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army who participated in the war against Serbian forces, was accused of politically targeting opponents and citizens who were labeled as collaborators and traitors. In recent days, thousands gathered in Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, to support these four individuals, many of whom carried red and black Albanian flags.
Prosecutors in the special courts of Kosovo in The Hague had sought a maximum of 45 years in prison for Thaci and the other defendants. The defendants denied all charges, and Thaci stated at the end of his trial last February: "Throughout my life, I have stood with the people of Kosovo and defended freedom, life, and dignity."
Thaci's Future and Political Developments
Thaci will also face a separate court regarding charges of intimidating witnesses, which will begin later this month. He is recognized as a national leader in Kosovo and was invited as a key figure to the peace negotiations in France in 1999, but rose to power after the war and resigned to defend himself in court in The Hague.
The Kosovo war from 1998 to 1999 resulted in the deaths of about 13,000 people, most of whom were from the Albanian minority. The war ended with a 78-day NATO air campaign against Serbian forces. Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in 2008, a move that Belgrade does not recognize.
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Source: npr.org
