MD releases data: Over 10m euros given to pay KLA leaders' lawyers in The Hague

This for “Justice Trust” has confirmed the Justice Ministry Public Communication Office.

The total scheme that MD has spent since 2020 until April 2022, is 10,022,760.00, the payment to 8 lawyers of the accused at The Hague”, said in the response of the MD.

The Special Court was founded in August 2015 after the deputies of the Republic of Kosovo's Parliament had adopted the constitutional amendment, respectively, the new Article 162 of the Constitution of Kosovo, with two-thirds (2/3) of the Kosovo Assembly deputies' votes, as well as the Specialised Chambers and Prosecutor's Office Specialised (ZPS), with 71 votes of Kosovo MPs.

The court's court proceedings had begun during 2021. In the quality of the accused persons, the country's former political leader has also ended up holding leadership positions during the recent war in Kosovo.

Hashi Thaci, Kadri Veselini, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi are charged from the SPS side that between March 1998 and September 1999, they have committed the crimes of persecution, imprisonment, arrest and arbitrary or illegal detention, other inhuman acts, cruel treatment, torture, murder and forced disappearance of persons considered opponents. According to the amended indictment, they are charged with committing war crimes even in Gjilan, Budakov and Semtish

While the other indictee Salih Mustafa is facing charges of arbitrary ban, cruel treatment, torture and unlawful murder as war crimes committed in the context of the non-national armed conflict in Kosovo, or in connection with that conflict. War crimes are being tried near this court by the accused Peter Shala.

While, on charges of obstruction in the administration of justice were charged with Hysni Gucati and Nasim Haradinaj, who were also found guilty of these crimes, being sentenced to four and a half years in prison and fines in the amount of 100 euros.

The Justice Vow has also provided information on payments that have been executed for the protection of special indictees.

Reference to the official response received by the MD results from the budget guaranteed by law so far, mostly budgetary means for its defence have benefited Rexhep Selimi with a total of 1,543,700,000 euros, until at least so far the protection of accused Peter Shala, or a total of 390,000 euros.

For the defender of accused Salih Mustafa from October 2020 until December 2021, it turns out that 893,672.15, while for 2022, 284,000,000 have been spent so far.

As for defender Jakup Krasniqi from November 2020 until December 2021, 1,247,250.00, and for 2022, 273,000,000 has been spent so far.

Between November 2020 and December 2021 for the defender of accused Rexhep Selimi has spent 1,179,700,000, and for 2022, 364,000.00 has so far been spent.

And for the defender of the accused Hysni Gucati from October 2020-November 2021 has been spent 1,134,750,000, and for 2022, so far it has been spent $34,000.00.

The defender of accused Nasim Haradinaj from October 2020-November 2021 has spent 986,963.26, while for 2022, so far it has been spent $34,000.000.

While for defender Hashim Thaci from December 2020 -Twenty-twenty-twenty-twenty-twenty-twenty-one. It's been spent, like, $1114,901.000, and by 2022, 271,000.

Between February 2021 and late 2021 for the defender of the accused, Kadri Wessel, have spent $854,724.91, and for 2022, 330,000 has so far been spent.

Until, for defender Peter Shala from November 2021, $130,000,000 has been spent, and for 2022, 260,000.000 has been spent so far.

Covering these expenses at the address of the special accusers becomes a conform Article 3, paragraph 1 of Law No. 05l-054 for legal protection and financial support of persons charged with potential in judicial processes near Specialised Chambers.

Under Article 3.1 of this law is determined that “all accused persons have the right to request assistance in covering defence spending and the commitment of independent, experienced and competent defenders paid by the Kosovo Budget, anchored for the purposes of this Law”.

Otherwise, on April 29th, the Specialised Prosecutor's Office has handed over a amended indictment against Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veselin, Rexhepi and Jakup Krasniqi.

The prosecution is claiming that the four indictees have committed war crimes even in Gjilan, Budakov and Semetish, reports “Justice bet“.

In the published annex concerning crimes allegedly taking place in Seminishh and Budakova, the prosecution has listed war crimes such as arrest and unlawful or arbitrary detention, cruel or inhuman treatment, torture, murder. Meanwhile, as crimes against humanity have listed imprisonment, other inhumane acts, torture, murder, forced extinction of persons and persecution.

And for crimes claiming to take place in Gjilan, as war crimes, he has listed the arrest and illegal or arbitrary ban, cruel or inhuman treatment, torture and murder. While as crimes against humanity have listed imprisonment, other inhumane acts, torture, murder, and persecution.

On November 9th 2020, in their first appearances, Hashim Thaci's Jakup Krasniqi has been declared innocent of the charges placed on them.

Wessel has been declared on November 10th, as has Selimi on November 11th.

The incident against Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veselin, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi is confirmed on October 26, 2020.

According to the prosecution, at least between March 1998 and September 1999, Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veselini, Rexhep Selimi, Jakup Krasniqi and other members of the joint criminal enterprise had the common goal of securing and exercising control over all of Kosovo through methods involving intimidation, mistreatment, violence and the unlawful elimination of those considered opponents.

Otherwise, the indictment of Salih Mustaf was confirmed on June 12, 2020, where it was charged with war crimes.

The confirmed “Acuza stipulates that approximately between April 1st 1999 and April 19, 1999, at a detention complex in Zlatko, Kosovo, arbitrary crimes, cruel treatment and torture against at least six people were committed. Also, the indictment says that on a date between April 19, 1999, or about this date, and about the end of April 1999, a detainee” was killed at that location, the Special Court announced through a communiqué.

It becomes known that in the confirmed indictment, Salih Mustafa is charged in the context of various forms of criminal responsibility -- for arbitrary bans, cruel treatment, torture and unlawful murder as war crimes committed in the context of the non-international armed conflict in Kosovo, or in connection with that conflict.

Hysni Gucati, along with Nasim Haradinaj, was charged with criminal acts against justice administration, namely obstructing official persons in performing official duties, fearing witnesses, revenge and violating the secret of the procedure.

Peter Shala was arrested on March 16th 2021 by Belgian authorities and transferred to The Hague on April 15, 2021, on the basis of a request for co-operation in the implementation of arrest warrants and the command for transfer issued by Kosovo's Specialised Chambers, reports “Justice Trust”.

In the confirmed indictment, Shala is charged with individual criminal responsibility in various forms of war crimes as arbitrary bans, cruel treatment, torture and illegal murder committed in the context of the international armed conflict in Kosovo and in connection with this conflict.

The “commands that Mr. Shala was carried out approximately between May 17th 1999 and June 5, 1999, against persons who were held in the metal factory in Kukes (Albania), allegedly used by the Kosovo Liberation Army”, it is said in the communique.