In his speech before the Special Court in The Hague, Jakup Krasniqi stated that he stands before the court not as a criminal, as described in the indictment, but as a man formed and seasoned in the fight for human dignity.
Krasniqi stressed that he considers his imprisonment for more than five years unjust and unnecessary, adding that he is ready to give a true account of the war for Kosovo's independence.
"I stand here before you today not as a criminal as described in the Prosecution's indictment, but as a man born and seasoned in wars for human dignity by a people who refused to disappear from Serbia's policies of crime and genocide," he said.
According to Krasniqi, he has spent most of his life guided by the belief that every human being deserves to live in freedom.
He underlined that his political and life commitment was early and linked to the struggle for life and freedom for the people of Kosovo.
"After more than 5 years of unjust and, in my opinion, unnecessary imprisonment, I am committed to giving a true account of our struggle for independence against the genocidal policies of the Serbian regime, which brought unprecedented suffering and destruction to the people of Kosovo," he declared.
The trial against Krasniqi and other former KLA leaders continues in The Hague, and the court is expected to review the parties' arguments before making a final decision.