Former president of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi sentenced to 25 years in prison for war crimes

On September 16, 2026, the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague handed down a 25-year prison sentence to former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci. The ruling concluded a three-year trial related to the 1998-1999 Kosovo conflict. Thaci, 58, was convicted of four war crimes: murder, torture, cruel treatment, and arbitrary detention.

He was acquitted of six charges of crimes against humanity due to insufficient evidence proving the crimes were part of a systematic attack on a civilian population. The court found Thaci guilty of ordering the deaths of 96 individuals, torturing 303 people, subjecting 49 to cruel treatment, and detaining 385 arbitrarily. These actions targeted those perceived as opponents of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) or perceived as threats to its political and military goals.

Thaci was key in setting up detention facilities, identifying and arresting victims, and, if necessary, killing them. The court found no evidence that the victims were involved in criminal activity, participated in hostilities, or posed a legitimate security concern to the KLA. In his sentencing remarks, Presiding Judge Charles Smith emphasized Thaci's use of his position and authority to encourage and implement the criminal acts, as well as his failure to investigate these crimes.

Three other senior KLA figures - Jakup Krasniqi (25 years), Kadri Veseli (18 years), and Rexhep Selimi (13 years) - were also sentenced on the same day. All four men pleaded not guilty to the charges. The trial began on April 3, 2023, and lasted over three years. The verdict is subject to appeal.