Shock and outrage swept through Kosovo on Wednesday following the conviction of former President Hashim Thaci and three top Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) figures for war crimes. The verdict, handed down by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague, triggered violent demonstrations in the capital, Pristina, where thousands of supporters watched the proceedings on large screens.
As the three-judge panel announced guilty findings against Thaci, Kadri Veseli, Jakup Krasniqi, and Rexhep Selimi, the initial silence of the crowd gave way to chants of support for the defendants. In several major cities across the country, protesters attempted to tear down sections of the perimeter fencing around the EULEX mission headquarters, the European Union’s rule-of-law deployment established after Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Riot police intervened to prevent further damage and contain the unrest.
The former president received the harshest penalty, with a 25-year prison term. Jakup Krasniqi, who served as speaker of Kosovo’s parliament, was also sentenced to 25 years. Kadri Veseli, the former head of KLA intelligence, received 18 years, while Rexhep Selimi, ex-chief of the KLA military police, was sentenced to 13 years. Although the tribunal dismissed the more severe charges of crimes against humanity, the men were found guilty of war crimes targeting civilians and political opponents during the 1998–99 conflict.
Kosovo’s political leadership uniformly condemned the ruling. Foreign Minister Glauk Konjufca, who was present in the courtroom, described the decision as a “terrible judgment for Kosovo” and a blow to the narrative of the liberation war. Prime Minister Albin Kurti labeled the sentences an “unacceptable injustice.” Meanwhile, the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), founded by Thaci and other ex-KLA leaders, called the verdict based on fabricated evidence promoted by Serbian propaganda.
Acting President Albulena Haxhiu emphasized the historical context, stating that the weight of the decision cannot be separated from the trauma of the war, which saw approximately 13,000 civilians killed and nearly one million people displaced. She described the news as a grave moment for the Albanian nation.
Defense teams for all four accused confirmed they intend to appeal the convictions. The Kosovo Specialist Chambers, established in 2015, is an unique judicial body staffed by international judges specifically tasked with prosecuting war crimes committed by KLA members during the war for independence from Serbia.
Twenty-five years for a freedom fighter? This feels like selective justice designed to erase Kosovo’s heroic narrative entirely.
A stark reminder that liberation movements aren’t immune to accountability. The rule of law must apply equally to all sides.