Special Court: Thaci, Veselin, Krasniqi and Selimi were sent to detention

Following their arrest by the Specialised Prosecutor on November 4th and 5th, Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veselini, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi were transferred to the detention facility of Kosovo's Specialised Chambers (DHSK) in The Hague on November 4th and 5th.

Kosovo's specialised Chambers' preliminary procedure judge confirmed the indictment against Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veselini, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi on 26 October 2020. In accordance with Kosovo's constitutional rule of Procedure and Testing in front of Kosovo's Specialised Chambers, the confirmed indictment did not become public at that moment.

The act confirmed has already been publicized with editing and can be read here. Newly edited public versions of arrests and transfer orders for all accused can also be read here.

The confirmed indictment reportedly committed at least between March 1998 and September 1999 war crimes of illegal or arbitrary arrest and arrest, cruel treatment, torture and unlawful murder, and crimes against humanity in prison, other inhumane acts, torture, unlawful murder, forced extinction of persons and persecution.

The crimes presented in the indictment were committed in several locations in Kosovo, as well as in Kukes and Chahan in northern Albania and committed by members of the Kosovo Liberation Army (“UÇK”) against hundreds of civilians and persons who did not participate actively in the fighting. The victims include persons suspected as opponents of the KLA and later of the Kosovo Interim Government, namely: (i) Serbs, Roma and Ashkalinj; (ii) Catholics; (ii) civilians who allegedly collaborated with Serbian authorities or who allegedly contacted Serbs; (iv) who were members or supporters of the Democratic League of Kosovo or other parties considered to be opposed KLA; (v) Albanians who did not join or support the KLA; and (vi) individuals employed or former employees who were considered opposed KLA.

The confirmed indictment allegedly claims that Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veselini, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi bear criminal responsibility as individuals on the basis of various forms of criminal responsibility for crimes filed in the indictment, which took place in the context of an international armed conflict in Kosovo and under a widespread and systematic attack against suspected persons as opponents of the KLA.

In due time, information will be provided about the date and schedule of Hashim Thaci's first presentations, Kadri Veselin, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi, ahead of the judges of the preliminary procedure. The first presentations are held at public hearings and can be forwarded via Internet transmission to the site of Kosovo's Specialised Chambers.