Kosovo's ex-President Thaci convicted of war crimes, sentenced to 25 years in prison

A European Union-backed court sitting in The Hague convicted former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci on Wednesday of four counts of war crimes committed during the nation's late 1990s war for independence against Serbian forces. The specialized tribunal handed down a 25-year prison sentence following an extensive trial that scrutinized the command structure and operational conduct of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA).

Thaci, who rose to international prominence as the political leader of the KLA before serving as Kosovo's prime minister and later president, had resigned from office in 2020 after the formal indictment was issued. The charges brought against him encompassed arbitrary detention, cruel treatment, torture, and murder of civilians perceived as opponents, including ethnic Serbs, Roma, and political rivals.

Delivering the verdict, the presiding judge emphasized that the conviction reflects individual criminal responsibility for egregious violations of international humanitarian law during the armed struggle. The court determined that Thaci, alongside other senior military commanders, participated in a joint criminal enterprise aimed at securing and exerting control across Kosovo by persecuting targeted groups.

The judgment has elicited strong reactions across the Balkans, with supporters in Pristina expressing grief and indignation over the verdict against a figure widely celebrated locally as a national hero. In contrast, legal advocates and victims' associations have welcomed the judicial outcome as a vital, long-awaited measure toward accountability and regional justice.