Trial of KLA leaders/ Chief Judge: We are judging individual responsibility, not the liberation war!

2026-09-16 10:34:57Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

Trial of KLA leaders/ Chief Judge: We are judging individual responsibility, not

The hearings in The Hague for the former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army have begun.

Charles Smith, the presiding judge, stated that several individuals were being tried, not the KLA war.

"We are judging some people for individual responsibility and we are not judging the war of the Kosovo Liberation Army."

The judge listed the charges against the KLA commanders.

“ H ashim Thaçi was a member of the KLA General Staff and he was the head of the KLA Political Directorate and the commander-in-chief of the KLA and the interim prime minister of Kosovo.

Kadri Veseli is a citizen of Kosovo, he was the head of the KLA Intelligence Directorate, head of SHIK and Minister of the Intelligence Service.

Rexhep Selimi was a member of the KLA General Staff and Minister of Internal Affairs of the KLA.

Jakup Krasniqi was a member of the General Staff of the Kosovo Liberation Army, was a spokesman for the KLA and deputy commander of the KLA. Six charges are pending against them relating to crimes against humanity.

The prosecution filed charges, accusing them of cruelly treating civilians. The actions and omissions were linked between the KLA and the Serbian army. The crimes were committed during the activities of the KLA and they were aware that the victims were not actively participating in the fighting.

"The accused are criminally responsible for the crimes they have been charged with. All four accused have pleaded not guilty," the judge said.


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