Prosecutor seeks continued detention for Veselin, Krasniqi and Selimi

The Office of Specialised Prosecutor (ZPS) has requested that the detention continue for another two months, Kadri Veselini, Jakup Krasniqi and Rexhep Selimi, who together with Hashim Thaci are accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The prosecution has submitted separate requests to Veselin, Krasniqi and Selimi on October 27, 2025 to the court in this case, at the Specialised Chambers of Kosovo ( At The Hague.

For the three accused, the prosecution says that since the recent decision on continuing detention, there has not been any development that reduces factors that support the reasonableness of this measure.

On the contrary, the prosecution says that with the outcome of presenting their evidence and advocates of the victims, the discovery of additional sensitive information about witnesses and participating victims increases the risk of escaping, preventing procedures and committing further crimes.

The prosecution claims that the three accused are in danger of escaping, obstructing procedures, or even committing other crimes.

“Vessel continues to pose a risk of obstructing procedures, as this Court recently concluded. The outcome of the SPS case does not eliminate this danger, as accuseds already know the entire scope of the case against them, and witnesses remain at risk even after giving the testimony. The court has noted that the threat of obstruction also includes: (a) any attempt to avenge witnesses; (b) efforts to motivate a witness to attract testimony; and (c) efforts to intervene against witnesses in parallel procedures”, said the request for continuing detention of Wessel, followed. Periscope.

In addition, detention of the three indictees is said to be proportional and reasonable, as well as no other alternative measure would suffice to ease the risks posed during the process.

Meanwhile, on April 15th 2025, the prosecution has announced that it has completed presenting evidence in the case.

While, the defence had applied according to the 130th Rule, which envisions a request to drop any charges or charges altogether in the indictment. The decision on this requirement was made on 16 July 2025. According to the chairman of the panel, Charles Smith III, what he had sought protection was his failure to rely on war crimes claims involving incidents that occurred before May 1998 and after June 20, 1999.

The trial “Trug notes that incidents and events that have occurred at the time opposed by defence are not accusations within the understanding of the 130” rule, the chairman of the court, Charles Smith III, said.

As a result, this motion had been dropped with the reasoning that the court's authority is to bring down material that constitutes accusations involving time causes. While, the same day, the protection of the victims had presented its evidence, calling two expert witnesses to testify simultaneously.

In addition to testifying on July 16, 2025, the testimony of these two witnesses continued on July 17, 2025, ending the testimony of the victims' defense witnesses.

The Specialised Prosecutor's Office, on September 30th 2022, has handed over the confirmed amended indictment against Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veselini, Jakup Krasniqi and Rexhep Selimi, which consists of ten points on charges, where the latter are charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity.

On April 29th 2022, the Specialised Prosecutor's Office had handed over a amended indictment to Hashim Thaci, Kadri Wessel, Rexhepi and Jakup Krasniqi, where four indictees have committed war crimes even in Gjilan, Budakov and Semtish.

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 also been declared in his presentation on November 10th, as has Rexhep Selimi on November 11th.

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