Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi has been sentenced to 25 years in prison after the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague found him guilty of war crimes committed during the 1998–99 conflict with Serbia.
Thaçi, 58, was convicted of murder, torture, cruel treatment and arbitrary detention linked to abuses carried out while he was a senior commander of the ethnic Albanian Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). The court found him responsible for the murder of 96 people and the illegal detention of hundreds of others.
Court Rejects Some Wider Charges
The tribunal did not uphold all of the prosecution’s allegations. Judges found insufficient evidence to establish some of the broader claims involving widespread or systematic attacks on civilians and acquitted the defendants of related crimes against humanity charges. Prosecutors had sought a 45-year prison sentence for Thaçi.
The prosecution had argued that Thaçi and three other former KLA commanders operated as part of a joint criminal enterprise targeting perceived political opponents and people suspected of collaborating with Serbian forces. The court found sufficient grounds for convictions on several war-crimes charges.
Thaçi Denies Charges and Can Appeal
Thaçi has consistently denied the allegations and argued during the proceedings that he was not responsible for the crimes attributed to KLA forces. He retains the right to appeal the verdict and sentence.
The trial was one of the most significant international judicial proceedings arising from Kosovo’s 1998–99 war. The case involved 134 witnesses, with proceedings formally closing in December 2025 before closing arguments were heard in February 2026.
Verdict Draws Strong Reactions in Kosovo
The judgment has generated strong reactions in Kosovo, where Thaçi remains an important figure from the country’s independence struggle. Supporters gathered in The Hague and Kosovo ahead of and during the verdict, while demonstrations were reported following the ruling.
The case has also attracted attention in Serbia, where the legacy of the Kosovo war and the territory’s 2008 declaration of independence remain politically sensitive.
The Kosovo Specialist Chambers, established under Kosovo law with international judges and based in The Hague, were created to investigate and prosecute allegations of serious crimes linked to the Kosovo conflict.
Thaçi’s conviction and the outcome of any appeal are expected to remain closely watched in Kosovo and across the Balkans as the region continues to deal with the legal and political legacy of the 1998–99 conflict.
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