Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci Sentenced to 25 Years for War Crimes by EU-Backed Court in The Hague on September 16

The Kosovo Specialist Chambers, an EU-backed court in The Hague, convicted former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci of four counts of war crimes on Wednesday September 16 and sentenced him to 25 years in prison. Thaci, 58, who resigned from office nearly six years ago to face the charges, was convicted of murder, torture, cruel treatment and arbitrary detention committed during Kosovo's 1998-1999 war for independence from Serbia. Wearing a suit and tie, he stood in silence as Presiding Judge Charles Smith read the sentence. Three co-defendants were also sentenced, with Jakup Krasniqi receiving 25 years, Kadri Veseli 18 years including time in custody, and Rexhep Selimi 13 years including time in custody. The four men were acquitted on six charges of crimes against humanity because judges said prosecutors failed to prove crimes were committed as part of a widespread and systematic attack on civilians. The verdict has significant regional repercussions. In Pristina, thousands of Kosovo Albanians gathered in public squares on large screens to watch the proceedings, with many viewing the trial as a challenge to the Kosovo Liberation Army's legitimacy during the war. In contrast, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic welcomed the verdict, calling it a moment of justice for Serbian victims, a reaction that Pristina had feared would be used to establish moral equivalence between KLA leaders and Serbian forces. Judge Charles Smith referenced the severity of torture and killings by the KLA before reading sentences, citing American historian Howard Zinn with the quote that no flag is big enough to hide the shame of killing innocent people. Prosecutors had originally requested a maximum 45-year sentence for Thaci and the other defendants. Thaci will have the right to appeal. Sources: NPR, Al Jazeera, CNN, Euronews, AP via multiple outlets. Sentence details confirmed across Reuters, Bloomberg and Eastern Herald reporting. Serbian response reported by Al Jazeera and Euronews.