Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, guilty of four war crimes, faces up to 45 years
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, guilty of four war crimes, faces up to 45 years")
Kosovo's ex-President Hashim Thaci gives a thumbs up to a crowd as he leaves the university clinical center after visiting his ill father in Pristina on March 13, 2025. Photograph: (AFP)
Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci was convicted of four war crimes by a Hague court, including murder and torture, facing up to 45 years in prison despite widespread public support.
Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci has been convicted of four war crimes linked to the 1998-99 Kosovo war by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague. The EU-backed court found the 58-year-old former president guilty of murder, torture, cruel treatment and arbitrary detention. The verdict marks a major development in the long-running case against Thaci and three other former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA).
Thaci is standing trial alongside Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi, all former senior KLA figures. Prosecutors have sought maximum prison terms of up to 45 years for the four men. They have denied all the charges.
Thaci resigns as president
Thaci resigned as Kosovo's president nearly six years ago after the charges were brought against him, allowing him to travel to The Hague to face the proceedings.
Wearing a suit and tie, Thaci stood silently as Presiding Judge Charles Smith read out the court's ruling.
At the end of his nearly three-year trial in February, Thaci told the judges that he had spent his life defending Kosovo's freedom, life and dignity.
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"Throughout my life, I stood with the people of Kosovo defending freedom, life and dignity," Thaci said. He added that he had been guided by Western ideals of democracy, equality and justice.
What are the charges?
Prosecutors accused Thaci and the other former KLA leaders of targeting political opponents and civilians who were considered collaborators or traitors during the conflict.
The KLA fought against Serbian forces during Kosovo's 1998-99 war for independence. The conflict ended after a NATO bombing campaign against Yugoslavia and the subsequent withdrawal of Serbian forces from Kosovo.
The Kosovo Specialist Chambers were established to investigate alleged crimes committed during and after the war. Its proceedings are largely handled by international staff because of concerns over witness safety and security.
The court has previously convicted individuals in cases involving witness intimidation. In 2022, two leaders of a Kosovo war veterans' association were found guilty of intimidating witnesses after confidential court documents were leaked and publicised.
Thaci is also facing a separate trial over allegations of witness intimidation. That case is due to begin later this month.
Strong reaction in Kosovo
The verdict has triggered strong reactions in Kosovo, where Thaci and the other former KLA commanders are widely regarded as national heroes.
Thousands of people gathered in Pristina over the weekend to show their support for the four men. Many carried red and black Albanian flags, while portraits of the former KLA fighters were displayed across the city.
A large digital clock counting down to the verdict had also been installed in the capital. One banner called on the court to declare the four men innocent "in the name of the people".
Thaci returned from what he described as political exile in Switzerland to join Kosovo's independence struggle. During the conflict, he earned the nickname "the Snake" because of his ability to evade Serbian forces.
The conviction comes as proceedings against the other former KLA leaders continue, while Thaci's separate witness intimidation case is also set to move forward.
