Thaci's defence renounces evidence of three witnesses, expects authorisation of only one

Evidence on which Thaci's defence will not be supported is those of witness 1DW-002, 1DW-010 and W04174.

In addition, the defence said the adoption of authorisation for witness 1DW-007 has been delayed with the reason for the provisional closure of the United States government.

However, the defence has submitted to the presentation of October 10th 2025 that it expects approval for this witness and that this will be the last witness called by the defence.

It is noteworthy that according to what is seen in the defence document, it is written by New York.

The defense began with the presentation of its evidence on September 15, 2025, where former US Secretary of State James Rubin was heard for three days.

While, the former legal adviser of the Albanian delegation to Rambouille was called after him, Paul Williams. The former political adviser to NATO's top commander, Wesley Clark, John Stewart Duncan, began witnessing on September 22nd and finished on September 23rd 2025.

On September 30th, however, James Peter Covey, former deputy UN representative in Kosovo Bernard Kouchner, began witnessing. Covey completed the testimony on October 2nd.

On September 14th 2025, a mass protest was held in The Hague in support of former KLA leaders, attended by citizens from all Albanian and numerous exiles.

DPSK has indicated that November 14th 2025 is set as the date for the completion of the defence issue in this case, while the final parameters of the process and statements on the impact of alleged crimes on victims participating in the procedure are scheduled to be submitted until December 22nd 2025.

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. /Betimi for Justice/