Thousands Rally in Pristina Against War Crimes Trial of Ex-KLA Leaders

Thousands gathered in Pristina on Tuesday to protest the ongoing trial of former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaders, including ex-President Hashim Thaci, who are accused of war crimes during the 1998-99 conflict for independence.

Thaci, along with former parliament speakers Jakup Krasniqi and Kadri Veseli, and ex-lawmaker Rexhep Selimi, were detained in 2020 and are currently facing trial at the special Kosovo war crimes court in The Hague. They stand accused of persecution, murder, torture, and forced disappearances during and after the uprising that led to Kosovo's independence from Serbia.

The defendants deny all accusations, with closing arguments heard this week. Meanwhile, protestors claim the KLA leaders are national heroes, arguing that the occupiers, not the liberation forces, deserve to be on trial. The Kosovo Specialist Chambers, staffed by international legal experts, was established to handle these sensitive cases.