Thaci sentenced to 25 years as Kosovo and Albania criticize verdict
Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Wednesday after a war crimes tribunal in The Hague found him guilty of crimes including murder, torture, cruel treatment and arbitrary detention committed during the 1998-99 Kosovo conflict.
The verdict drew criticism from Kosovo and Albania, while France reiterated its support for the tribunal and its work to combat impunity.
Kosovo Foreign Minister Glauk Konjufca, who attended the proceedings in The Hague, described the verdict as “unfair” and “undeserved,” calling it a sad decision for Kosovo and its liberation war. He also questioned the basis of the indictment and criticized the use of materials from Serbia, according to Kosovo-based media.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama also criticized the ruling in a post on Facebook, writing “Marre,” meaning “shame,” alongside an image depicting Europe surrounded by barbed wire.
France said it had taken note of the decision and reaffirmed its support for the Kosovo Specialist Chambers. The French Foreign Ministry said the ruling was subject to appeal and noted that it marked the conclusion of first-instance trials before the chambers, apart from cases involving offenses against the administration of justice.
Paris also reiterated its longstanding support for Kosovo’s independence and institutions.
The tribunal found that Thaci and three other former senior Kosovo Liberation Army commanders — Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi — shared a “common criminal purpose” and made significant contributions to a joint criminal enterprise.
Judges found the defendants criminally responsible for arbitrary detention involving 385 people, cruel treatment involving 49 people, torture involving 303 people and murder involving 96 people.
Veseli was sentenced to 18 years in prison, while Selimi received 13 years and Krasniqi 25 years. All four defendants had pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors had sought maximum 45-year prison sentences for Thaci and the other three defendants.
Thaci, 58, became Kosovo’s first prime minister after the territory declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and served in the post until 2014. He was president from 2016 until 2020, when he resigned after the indictment against him was confirmed.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia on February 17, 2008. Serbia continues to reject Kosovo’s independence and considers the territory part of its sovereign territory.
