U.S. for the Special Court's ruling on Salih Mustaf: This decision is not a judgment against U n CK) or Kosovo

The United States has welcomed the Special Court's decision on former Kosovo Liberation Army Commander Salih Mustafa, who has been sentenced to 26 years in prison for war crimes.

The Special Court, headquartered in The Hague, functions according to Kosovo laws.

More specifically, Mustafa has been convicted of unlawful murder, torture and arbitrary detention.

He has been declared innocent of cruel treatment.

According to the indictment, Salih Mustafa, known as Commander Caliı, was commander of the guerrilla unit. BIA, units within the Kosovo Liberation Army's Lyp Operative Zone.

Mustafa himself has been declared innocent of the charges against him.

US State Department spokesman Ned Price has said the ruling taken by the Special Court on December 16th is a step that helps Kosovo guarantee rule of law and impose justice for victims.

“Sic has said even the court, this ruling is not a judgment against U n CK or Kosovo, but it only relates to the criminal responsibility of the defendant. We also welcome the bravery of individual victims and witnesses who have appeared, and condemn threats and intimidation against them. Without these courageous individuals, justice would not be possible”, Price said in a media communiqué.

The ruling against Mustafa constitutes the first Special Court decision concerning war crimes investigations in Kosovo.

According to the Law for Specialised Chambers (the official name of the Special Court), the penalty for prison sentences takes place in one state that President of Special Chambers appoints from among those states that have shown willingness to accept convicted persons.

The Special Court investigates the alleged crimes of members of the Kosovo Liberation Army against ethnic minorities and political rivals in January 1998, December 2000.

Even Special Prosecutor's Duty at Special Court, Alex Whiting, has welcomed the verdict on Mustafa.

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has said the sentence on Mustaf is the <x0ndinian decision”.

According to him, it is unacceptable when the deliverer deems us more severely than the genocide attacker”.

Besides Mustafa, indicted for war crimes, there are former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, former head of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, Kadri Veselini, former member of the KLA General Staff, Rexhep Selimi, former spokeswoman KLA, Jakup Krasniqi, other former member of KLA, Peter Shala.

According to the indictment, Thaci, Veselin, Krasniqi, Selimi and Shala are suspected of criminal acts involving war crimes: unlawful or arbitrary bans, cruel treatment, torture and unlawful crimes against humanity -- imprisonment, other inhuman acts, forced disappearances of persons and persecution, which, according to Specialised Chambers, have been committed between March 1998 and September 1999.

The crimes allegedly were committed in several Kosovo locations and in northern Albania, in Kukes and Chahan respectively.

All have been declared innocent of charges weighing on them.

Kosovo's Special Court was formed after publishing a 2011 Council of Europe report, deputy author of Swiss Senator Dick Marty.

The alleged crimes in Kosovo have been mentioned in that report. / REL