Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci faces verdict for alleged war crimes | The Hague News
Kosovo War Crimes Tribunal Set to Deliver Verdicts on Thaci and Commanders
Published September 16, 2026
The Kosovo war crimes tribunal is scheduled to announce its verdicts on Wednesday in the case against former President Hashim Thaci and three former wartime commanders. They are accused of war crimes, including murder and torture, during Kosovo’s struggle for independence from Serbia in the late 1990s.
Thaci, 58, faces multiple charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, alongside Jakup Krasniqi, Rexhep Selimi, and Kadri Veseli, all former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). The KLA was a separatist militia that engaged Serbian forces during the conflict.
Prosecutors have requested 45-year prison sentences for each of the accused. The case has generated significant attention in Kosovo, where Thaci is viewed by many as a national hero due to his role in the 1998-1999 independence war.
Recent demonstrations in the capital, Pristina, have drawn tens of thousands of supporters, who gathered to demand the acquittal of Thaci and his co-defendants. Activists displayed portraits of the four former commanders and erected a digital countdown clock to the verdicts. One banner read, “In the name of the people, declare them innocent.”
According to prosecutors, the defendants are alleged to have targeted political opponents and civilians they viewed as collaborators during their time in the KLA. Thaci’s defense team, however, contends that there is no direct evidence linking him to any crimes. Defense lawyer Luka Misetic asserted in February that there are no records of orders from Thaci to commit crimes or any reports of criminal acts directed to him.
The Kosovo War resulted in approximately 13,000 deaths, with most victims being ethnic Albanians. The conflict witnessed a 78-day NATO air campaign that ultimately led to the cessation of hostilities and resulted in the displacement of about one million ethnic Albanians from their homes.
Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in 2008, a move that Belgrade does not recognize, and relations between the two remain strained despite ongoing negotiations facilitated by the European Union.
