Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi was found guilty of war crimes and sentenced to 25 years in prison by the Specialist Chambers in The Hague.

The trial panel found him criminally responsible for crimes including murder, torture, cruel treatment and unlawful detention, committed during the war in Kosovo.

Jakup Krasniqi was also found guilty of war crimes—including arbitrary detention, cruel treatment, torture and unlawful killing—and was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Kadri Veseli was sentenced to 18 years in prison by the Specialist Chambers in The Hague.

The trial panel found Veseli guilty of war crimes, including unlawful or arbitrary detention, cruel treatment, torture and unlawful killing.

Former Kosovo Assembly member Rexhep Selimi was also found guilty of wartime crimes. According to the trial panel, the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office succeeded in proving Selimi’s criminal liability beyond a reasonable doubt regarding several charges and he was sentenced to 13 years in prison.

They were charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity, including persecution, imprisonment, torture, murder and enforced disappearance.

The prosecution had sought 45-year prison sentences for each, while the defense had requested their acquittal.

Earlier, the trial panel acquitted them of charges regarding crimes against humanity.

Today’s ruling is a first-instance decision and may be appealed.

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The decision was made by Judge Igerta Hysi, who upheld the Court’s decision not to change the security measure “prison sentence”.

Ilir Meta was not present at the hearing session and was represented by lawyer Kujtim Cakrani. After the decision, Cakrani said that, “the court is not delivering justice”.

“These are not judges, but salaried employees. I regret this. The court failed to be in the right level today to make a decision different from that of the first instance”, said Cakrani.

Meta has been in custody in Tirana since October 21, 2024, after being accused by SPAK of corruption, CEZ/DIA affair as well as for lobbying in the USA. /m.m/j.p/p.s./

Kapri was initially sentenced to 1 year and 6 months in prison, but based on the brief trial procedure, the sentence was reduced by 1 year. In the end, the court decided to suspend the execution of the prison sentence and put Kapri on probation for a 2-year period.

Kapri was also deprived of the right to exercise public functions for a period of 5 years.

SPAK investigations revealed that Eduart Kapri and two other municipal officials allowed the construction of a 14-storey building, belonging to his brother Gëzim Kapri, in violation of the law. /j.p/p.s./

According to media sources, Tushe was punished for failure to declare an apartment.

The prosecution asked for Tushe’s sentence of 1 year and 5 months in prison, but due to the shortened trial, he would benefit from a 1/3 sentence reduction.

Only a few months after he served his sentence of 3 years and 4 months in prison for abuse of office and violation of equality in tenders, there was opened another investigation against Tushe related to an apartment on the coast. /m.m/p.s./

The former mayor Alla will serve only 2 years in prison, due to the shortened trial. 8 other people were also found guilty.

The former mayor, allegedly in cooperation with other former officials, favored two companies during the public procurement procedure. It is about the tender “Construction of the water supply and distribution network and the construction of the KUZ network, Old Quarter, Bulqiza Municipality”, worth about 3 million Euros, with a time limit of 10 months.

Alla was arrested on March 15, 2023 together with 12 other people, 7 of them municipal officials for violation of equality in tenders and abuse of office on suspicions of abuse in a tender worth 3 million Euros./p.s./

Reacting to the Court’s decision to sentence the arsonist arrested in Laç to “imprisonment”, Balla emphasized that the prosecuting body has done a good job in documenting the violation of the law.

“The Court considered the arrest of the arsonist of Laç to be legal and based on evidence, and this is a reason to appreciate the Prosecution for documenting the criminal file and the responsible decision of the Court!”, continued Balla.

“While waiting for the 23 arsonists arrested by the State Police this summer to receive the deserved punishment for their criminal act, I reiterate the appeal of PM Rama, that the judges of these cases with their rulings finally close the long and shameful chapter of not properly punishing this criminal offense for years!”, emphasized Balla. /p.s./

Earlier in the day, the Special Prosecution requested 3 years and 6 months in prison for Enkelejda Hoxha, reducing 1/3 of the sentence. The Special Anti-Corruption Court accepted the former judge’s guilty plea request.

On February 11 this year, the former judge of the Court of Kruja Enkelejda Hoxha was arrested along with other employees, among them lawyer Aldo Tabaku, secretary Manuela Mallkuçi, Gazmir Nezaj, Isuf Tanuzin, Bledar Petani, Sajmir Petani and Altin Skëndaj, Frangj and Migena Skënderi, after they had set up a scheme through which they reduced the sentences of the convicts or released them from prison in exchange of money.

SPAK has also requested four years in prison for the lawyer Aldo Tabaku, who used to intervene to change the court rulings and three years in prison for the Secretary of the Court Manuela Mallkuçi.

Likewise, SPAK is also seeking two years in prison for the convict Saimir Petani who used to demand the release from prison in exchange for payment and for his brother Bledar Petani, who would give 12 thousand euros to the former judge Hoxha.

SPAK is also seeking a sentence of two years in prison for the other detainees Altin Skëndaj, Gazmir and Gentjan Nezaj and Isuf Tanezi, while for Trëndafile Fagu it has requested nine months in prison.

Former judge of Kruja Enkeleida Hoxha is accused of the criminal offense “Passive corruption of judges, prosecutors and other justice officials.” /a.a/p.s./

The Special Court of Appeal upheld the ruling given by the Special Court against Corruption and Organized Crime. And Llalla now has to carry out his sentence.

Llalla’s defending counsel Sokol Hazizaj said he will appeal the decision to the High Court.

He argued that Llalla is at hospital while the Court of Appeal made just a copy paste of the former ruling./j.p/p.s./