Former Kosovo president Hashim Thaci convicted of four war crimes

Thehague,UPDATED: Sep 16, 2026 15:14 IST

Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci has been convicted by a European Union-backed court of four war crimes linked to Kosovo's 1998-99 war for independence from Serbia. The Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague found the 58-year-old guilty of murder, torture, cruel treatment and arbitrary detention.

Thaci, who resigned as president nearly six years ago to face the charges, is on trial alongside three other former Kosovo Liberation Army, or KLA, leaders - Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi. Prosecutors have sought a maximum 45-year prison term for the four men, who have denied the charges against them.

Wearing a suit and tie, Thaci stood in silence as Presiding Judge Charles Smith read out the court's ruling. At the end of his nearly three-year trial in February, Thaci had told judges: "Throughout my life, I stood with the people of Kosovo defending freedom, life and dignity. I was always guided by the Western ideals of democracy, equality and justice."

According to prosecutors, the four men targeted political opponents and civilians seen as collaborators and traitors during their time in the KLA, which fought Serb forces during the war. The court's staff are largely international because of concerns over witness safety and security. In 2022, the court convicted two leaders of a Kosovo war veterans' association for intimidating witnesses by publicising leaked confidential documents. Thaci also faces a separate trial on charges of intimidating witnesses, which is due to begin later this month.

The case has drawn strong reactions in Kosovo, where Thaci and the three other former KLA leaders are widely seen as national heroes. Thousands of people rallied in Pristina over the weekend in support of the four men, filling a central square, with many carrying red and black Albanian flags. Portraits of the four former fighters were plastered across the city, alongside a huge digital clock counting down to Wednesday's verdicts. One banner read: "In the name of the people, declare them innocent." Thaci had returned from what he described as political exile in Switzerland to join Kosovo's struggle for independence, and earned the nickname "the Snake" for his ability to evade Serb forces during the conflict.

The conviction marks a major development in the long-running case against Thaci and the other former KLA leaders, with the court finding him guilty on four war crimes counts while further proceedings in the wider case continue.

With PTI Inputs

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