Kosovo: start of ex-president's war crimes trial at Hague 'an important step'
Hashim Thaçi and three other Kosovo Liberation Army commanders on trial for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity
Four are accused of a ‘campaign of persecution’ against Serbs, Roma and Kosovo Albanians during and after 1998-99 conflict
‘Today is an important step on the long road to justice, truth and reparation’ - Nils Muiznieks
As the special war crimes tribunal begins in The Hague against former Kosovo president Hashim Thaçi and three other commanders of Kosovo’s Liberation Army for their alleged responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity, Nils Muiznieks, Amnesty International’s Europe Director, said:
“Today is an important step on the long road to justice, truth and reparation for hundreds of victims of the Kosovo war who have waited almost two-and-a-half decades to find out the truth about the horrific crimes committed against them and their loved ones.
“That it has taken more than ten years for any of those suspected of criminal responsibility to be brought to court has allowed a culture of impunity for war crimes committed during the Kosovo war to persist.
“This trial sends a clear message that senior officials are not above the law.”
‘Campaign of persecution’
The charges against the four include alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity - including criminal responsibility for nearly 100 murders with victims belonging to Serb and Roma ethnic groups, as well as people of Kosovo Albanian ethnicity, including political opponents. The Kosovo Specialist Chambers and Specialist Prosecutor’s Office was established in 2015 following a report by an EU Task Force that pointed to compelling evidence of systemic war crimes committed by the Kosovo Liberation Army leadership, including a “campaign of persecution” against Serbs, Roma and Kosovo Albanians during and immediately after the 1998-99 armed conflict. When the indictment against him was confirmed in 2020, President Thaçi resigned from office with immediate effect.