{
  "id": 7767601,
  "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",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-16T11:00:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Maverick",
    "slug": "daily-maverick",
    "url": "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-09-16-former-kosovo-president-thaci-sentenced-to-25-years-for-war-crimes/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci has been found guilty of war crimes by the Kosovo war crimes tribunal in The Hague. Thaci, 58, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for committing crimes as the head of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) during the territory's break from Serbia in the 1990s. The tribunal convicted Thaci of the murder of 96 political opponents and perceived collaborators, the illegal detention of 385 people, and the torture of 303 individuals. Presiding judge Charles Smith described the scale and nature of the crimes as \"very serious.\" Thaci's actions, according to the court, included actively participating in and encouraging these crimes. Thaci, who remained silent during the verdict, denied all charges and has the right to appeal the decision. The ruling has sparked protests in Kosovo and Serbia, with supporters gathering in Pristina and the Hague to show their disapproval of the verdict.",
  "summary": "Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci was found guilty of war crimes including murder, torture and illegal detention by the Kosovo war crimes tribunal in The Hague on Wednesday.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 9,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "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": "New Straits Times",
        "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",
        "published": "2026-09-16T09:56:14.000Z"
      },
      {
        "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": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
        "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-7782934",
        "published": "2026-09-16T11:57:27.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}