Thousands protest former Kosovo president’s war crimes conviction
Former president Hashim Thaci was sentenced to 25 years for crimes committed during the struggle for independence from Serbia in the 1990s.
Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Pristina, Kosovo's capital, to protest the conviction of former president Hashim Thaci for war crimes. The rally marked one of the largest since Thaci's 25-year sentence for crimes committed during Kosovo's 1990s struggle for independence from Serbia. The Kosovo Specialist Chambers in the Netherlands found Thaci and three other Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaders guilty of murders, illegal arrests, torture, and cruel treatment.
This decision, widely regarded as a great injustice by the protesters, triggered outrage across Kosovo where the men are still seen as independence heroes. Thaci's lawyer, Luka Misetic, vowed to appeal the ruling, while the ex-president expressed gratitude for the support. Critics accused the court of political bias and using evidence provided by Serbia, which doesn't recognize Kosovo's independence.
Kosovo's government condemned the ruling, with Prime Minister Albin Kurti calling it unacceptable. Despite the controversy, some international allies urged the court's decision to be respected, while Human Rights Watch hailed the verdict as a step for accountability.
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