The Kosovo Specialist Chambers do not have an exact date for when the verdict will be announced for the four former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army, who are accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The Hague-based court's spokesman, Michael Doyle, told a press conference that, according to the rules, the decision is supposed to be made within three months after the process is concluded. Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi, former parliamentarians Kadri Veseli, Jakup Krasniqi, and former MP Rexhep Selimi have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
“It’s in the hands of the judges. But there are deadlines. Closing statements are expected to be completed on February 13 [2026]. The rules say that the judges then have 90 days to make a decision and announce it. After that, there is a provision for another two-month extension to make a decision and in exceptional cases it could be even longer. I have no specific reason to expect it to be longer than that, but we just don’t know. The assumption, according to the rules, is three months and if there is an extension of the deadline, then the judges would give an explanation and a reason,” Doyle said.
Thaçi, Veseli, Krasniqi, and Selimi have been in detention since November 2020. Their trial began in April 2023. Initially, the Specialized Prosecutor's Office called 125 witnesses to the courtroom, while 117 others submitted their written testimonies.
In September of this year, Thaçi's defense began presenting evidence, while Krasniqi's had announced two witnesses in the courtroom and two written testimonies. Veseli and Selimi will not present evidence.
Among the witnesses for Thaçi's defense who appeared in The Hague were mostly senior Western officials with direct knowledge of the events. They included former US Assistant Secretary of State James Rubin and retired US General Welsley Clark, who led the NATO air campaign against Serbian military targets in 1999.
Before closing arguments, the parties will submit their final files by January 30. Meanwhile, Thaçi is facing another case for obstruction of justice. Michael Doyle said that while the number of witnesses is not yet known, it is difficult to know how long the trial might take. He said he “does not expect” the trial to be as long as the one for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The indictment charges the defendants with "personal" responsibility, but also for "crimes committed by their subordinates."
According to the indictment, Thaçi, Veseli, Selimi and Krasniqi are accused of crimes against humanity and war crimes, including the murder of more than 100 victims as well as the unlawful detention and torture of hundreds of victims.
What are the former KLA leaders accused of?
The indictment states that the four defendants and other KLA members were part of a “joint criminal enterprise” and “shared the common goal of seizing and exercising control throughout Kosovo by all means, including intimidation, mistreatment, the use of violence and the elimination of those they considered opponents.”
The Specialist Chambers and the Specialist Prosecutor's Office – widely known as the Specialist Court – were established in 2015 by the Kosovo Assembly and are part of the Kosovo judicial system, but operate with international staff in the Netherlands.
The Special Court investigates alleged crimes committed by KLA members against ethnic minorities and political rivals from January 1998 to December 2000./REL
