THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A European Union-backed court on Wednesday convicted former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci of four counts of war crimes committed during his country’s war for independence from Serbia and sentenced him to 25 years in prison.
Thaci, 58, who resigned from office nearly six years ago to face the charges, was convicted by a panel of judges at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers of murder, torture, cruel treatment and arbitrary detention.
Wearing a suit and tie, Thaci stood in silence as Presiding Judge Charles Smith read out the sentence.
Thaci faced multiple counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity including murder, torture and persecution alongside three other former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army who fought Serb forces in the 1998-99 war. They are widely regarded as national heroes in their homeland.
Thousands of people rallied in Pristina, Kosovo's capital, over the weekend in support of the four men. The protesters filled a central square in the capital, many carrying red and black Albanian flags.
Portraits of the four former KLA fighters have been plastered across the city along with a huge digital clock counting down to Wednesday's verdicts.
“In the name of the people, declare them innocent," one banner read.
Prosecutors at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers court in The Hague have asked for a maximum 45-year prison sentence for Thaci and the other defendants, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi. They have all denied the charges against them.
“Throughout my life, I stood with the people of Kosovo defending freedom, life and dignity. I was always guided by the Western ideals of democracy, equality and justice,” Thaci told judges in February at the end of his nearly three-year trial.
According to prosecutors, the men targeted political opponents and civilians perceived as collaborators and traitors during their time in the KLA.
The staff at the European Union-backed court are largely international due to fears about witness safety and security. In 2022, the court convicted two leaders of a Kosovo war veterans’ association for intimidating witnesses by publicizing leaked confidential documents.
Thaci also faces a separate trial on charges of intimidating witnesses that will begin later this month.
He was a student who returned from what he described as political exile in Switzerland to join Kosovo’s struggle for independence. He earned the nickname “the Snake” for his ability to evade Serb forces during the conflict.
He was embraced by Western leaders, who invited him to the 1999 peace talks in France in his role as political director of the Kosovo Liberation Army, and was seen as a leader who could guide the country toward independence.
Thaci rose to political power after the war but resigned as president to defend himself before the court in The Hague.
Most of the 13,000 people who died in the war in Kosovo were ethnic Albanians. A 78-day campaign of NATO airstrikes against Serbian forces ended the fighting. About 1 million ethnic Albanian Kosovars were driven from their homes.
In 2008, Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia, a move that Belgrade refuses to recognize. Ties between Kosovo and Serbia remain tense, despite years of negotiations mediated by the European Union and supported by the United States.
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Associated Press reporter Molly Quell contributed to this report.
