{
  "id": 7760551,
  "title": "Former Kosovo president Thaci sentenced to 25 years for war crimes",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/former-kosovo-president-thaci-sentenced-to-25-years-for-war-crimes",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-16T09:56:14.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/world/world/2026/09/1534151/former-kosovo-president-thaci-sentenced-25-years-war-crimes"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On Wednesday, the Kosovo war crimes tribunal found former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci guilty of multiple war crimes, including murder, torture, and illegal detention. The 58-year-old Thaci, who commanded the Kosovo Liberation Army during the 1990s conflict with Serbia, was sentenced to 25 years in prison. The tribunal convicted him of the murders of 96 political opponents and perceived collaborators, the illegal detention of 385 people, the torture of 303 individuals, and the cruel treatment of around 50. Thaci, who remained silent as the verdict was read, had previously denied all charges. The ruling has significant implications for Kosovo and Serbia, where tensions between ethnic Albanians and Serbs persist over the legacy of the 1998-99 conflict and Kosovo's 2008 independence. Thaci remains a hero to many Kosovo Albanians, while the tribunal itself is widely unpopular in the country. In Pristina, thousands gathered to watch the verdict, booing and chanting Thaci's name as some wept. Outside the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague, supporters of Thaci had assembled, waving KLA flags and chanting \"UCK.\"",
  "summary": "THE HAGUE: Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci was found guilty of war crimes including murder, torture and illegal detention by the Kosovo war crimes tribunal on Wednesday.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 11,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun",
        "title": "Kosovo Ex-President Thaci Faces War Crimes Verdict in The Hague",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/kosovo-ex-president-thaci-faces-war-crimes-verdict-in-the-hague",
        "published": "2026-09-16T02:52:46.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Hague court to deliver verdict in war crimes trial of Kosovo’s former President Thaci",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/hague-court-to-deliver-verdict-in-war-crimes-trial-of-kosovos-former",
        "published": "2026-09-16T05:17:22.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Kosovo's former president faces war crimes verdict",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/kosovos-former-president-faces-war-crimes-verdict",
        "published": "2026-09-16T06:12:43.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "DW News",
        "title": "Kosovo ex-president Thaci faces Hague war crimes verdict",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/kosovo-ex-president-thaci-faces-hague-war-crimes-verdict",
        "published": "2026-09-16T07:28:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci faces verdict for alleged war crimes",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/former-kosovo-president-hashim-thaci-faces-verdict-for-alleged-war",
        "published": "2026-09-16T07:49:30.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Sky News",
        "title": "Kosovo's former president jailed for 25 years over war crimes",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/kosovos-former-president-jailed-for-25-years-over-war-crimes",
        "published": "2026-09-16T08:23:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Euronews",
        "title": "Kosovo's former President Thaçi convicted of war crimes at Hague court",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/kosovos-former-president-thaci-convicted-of-war-crimes-at-hague-court",
        "published": "2026-09-16T09:58:22.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Former Kosovo president Thaci sentenced to 25 years for war crimes",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/former-kosovo-president-thaci-sentenced-to-25-years-for-war-crimes-7764452",
        "published": "2026-09-16T10:01:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post",
        "title": "Former Kosovo president Thaci gets 25 years in prison for war crimes",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/former-kosovo-president-thaci-gets-25-years-in-prison-for-war-crimes",
        "published": "2026-09-16T10:14:33.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Maverick",
        "title": "Former Kosovo president Thaci sentenced to 25 years for war crimes",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/former-kosovo-president-thaci-sentenced-to-25-years-for-war-crimes-7767601",
        "published": "2026-09-16T11:00:04.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}