The Hague, 16 September 2026 — The Trial Panel of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers (KSC) today pronounced its judgment in the case of Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi, finding all four criminally responsible for war crimes committed during the Kosovo conflict.
The Panel found the four accused criminally responsible for arbitrary detention of 385 individuals, cruel treatment of 49 individuals, torture of 303 individuals and murder of 96 individuals.
The accused were found not guilty of crimes against humanity, as the Specialist Prosecutor failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that there was a widespread or systematic attack directed against a civilian population. They were also acquitted in relation to a number of specific incidents of war crimes.
The Panel sentenced Hashim Thaçi to 25 years, Kadri Veseli to 18 years, Rexhep Selimi to 13 years and Jakup Krasniqi to 25 years of imprisonment, with credit for time already served.
The judges found that, during the conflict, the four men contributed to a common criminal purpose targeting perceived opponents of the Kosovo Liberation Army’s (KLA) political and military objectives. Those targeted included Kosovo Albanians associated with other political or military organisations, individuals alleged to have links to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or Serbian authorities, and members of ethnic minorities, including Roma and Serbs.
The Panel found that the targeting involved killings, arrests and detention without due process, physical and psychological mistreatment, intimidation and other forms of abuse. With limited exceptions, it found no evidence that the victims had engaged in criminal activity, actively participated in hostilities or posed another legitimate security concern to the KLA. Many were described, often without basis, as collaborators or spies.
The Panel also considered the lasting physical and psychological consequences suffered by victims and noted that some were particularly vulnerable because of their age or because they witnessed the mistreatment or killing of family members.
Individual Roles
Regarding Hashim Thaçi, the Panel found that as a member of the KLA General Staff and head of its Political Directorate, he was a key figure in formulating and implementing the common purpose, including establishing detention facilities, identifying perceived opponents and arranging their arrest and detention and, where necessary, their killing. The Panel also found that Thaçi personally participated in crimes, including the arrest, arbitrary detention and interrogation of 13 parliamentarians, as well as the arrest, detention, transfer and murder of Behajdin Allaqi.
For Kadri Veseli, head of the KLA Intelligence Directorate, the Panel found that his responsibilities included identifying, obtaining information about, monitoring and neutralising persons suspected of being collaborators. It also found that he was personally involved in identifying and targeting opponents, many of whom were subsequently murdered, and noted that intelligence used against many victims consisted largely of unverified rumours.
The Panel determined that Rexhep Selimi, although holding less authority over other KLA members than the other accused, failed to ensure compliance with international humanitarian law in his roles as a member of the General Staff, head of the Operational Directorate and inspector general. The Panel found that he tolerated serious violations and participated in the arrest and detention of 13 parliamentarians, among other contributions to the common criminal purpose.
Regarding Jakup Krasniqi, the Panel found that, as a member of the General Staff and Political Directorate, KLA spokesperson and deputy commander, he played a key role in formulating and implementing the policy of targeting opponents. The Panel concluded that his communiqués, political statements, speeches and orders encouraged or expressed tolerance for crimes against perceived opponents.
Witness Intimidation
The Trial Panel also highlighted the persistent climate of witness intimidation surrounding the proceedings. Several prosecution witnesses recanted earlier statements, changed their accounts or otherwise failed to provide consistent testimony. At the same time, the Panel recognised that most witnesses appeared before it with courage and determination, including several who testified despite intimidation and attempts to discourage them from doing so.
Presiding Judge Charles L. Smith III emphasised that the trial was not about the legitimacy of the KLA or its objective of an independent Kosovo, but about whether certain criminal means were used by members of the KLA in pursuit of those objectives. He also stressed that the proceedings did not concern crimes committed by Serbian forces and paramilitaries against Kosovo Albanians, but were limited to determining whether the crimes charged in the indictment had been committed and whether the accused bore criminal responsibility for them.
The Case
The indictment against the four accused was confirmed on 26 October 2020 and subsequently amended. Following their arrests, Thaçi, Veseli, Selimi and Krasniqi were transferred to the KSC detention facilities in The Hague on 4 and 5 November 2020.
The trial began on 3 April 2023. The Prosecution concluded its case in April 2025, followed by the presentation of the participating victims’ case and the Defence cases. Evidentiary proceedings closed on 19 December 2025, with closing statements held from 9 to 18 February 2026.
During the proceedings, the Trial Panel heard evidence from 273 witnesses and admitted 5,467 exhibits. It also took judicial notice of 1,017 adjudicated facts and 29 agreed facts, while the trial transcript reached more than 29,000 pages.
The judgment marks a major judicial development in the proceedings before the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, established in The Hague to adjudicate alleged crimes arising from the Kosovo conflict.
