Thaci's request to change contact protocol to several witnesses in both of his cases follows

Thaci's defence has claimed that the contact protocol in the war crimes case is much more strict than it in the case against administration of justice, as it requires 10-day preliminary notice of each witness, informed consent by witness, contact-incision video and the sharing of records with other parties and the trial body, reports the “bet on Justice”, broadcast. Periscope.

In addition, the defence claims that other defence teams in case 12, and the Prosecution -- have a softer contact framework, while Thaci's team has a stricter framework because of the war crimes case in connection with joint witnesses.

On this line, defence argues it creates arms inequalities between Thaci's team in the case against justice administration and other parties.

As a result, they have asked the court to change contact protocol in the case of war crimes, so that contacts with joint witnesses in the case against justice administration are implemented under the framework for the last case.

The court says, however, that no violation of the principle of arms equality has been proved.

The trial “The trial body concludes that no violation of the principle of arms equality has been proven, and any possible possible negative impact on the Thaci defence capacity to conduct its investigations is hypothetical and speculous at this stage”, the decision said.

The prosecution had rejected this request, for according to them, Appeals has found that this framework does not overload Thaci's defence. So has the court in his decision.

The trial “Trug considers that the fact that the SPS may be able to contact witnesses who will be called by Thaci's defence team in case 12 outside the Contact Protocol parameters in Case 06 does not affect those findings. What matters is that both sides, in principle, subject themselves to the same restrictions and conditions related to their contacts with the witnesses of case 06 under the appropriate protocol, in order to maintain the equality of weapons as far as it has to do with this case”, the decision says.

According to the prosecution, Thaci's defence complains of arms inequality, but its complaint focuses mainly on Thaci's position compared to the accused in Rusty 12.

The prosecution says the court has clarified that the Contact Protocol in case 06 applies to all witnesses on that case, while in case 12 SPS evidence are mainly documentaries, not based on testimony from joint witnesses.

“The ZPS states that (i) Thaci's defence team in case 12 is not prevented from conducting its investigations within the parameters of the Contact Protocol in case 06; (ii) Thaci's right to interview witnesses of the opposing side is not unlimited; and (ii) in the case circumstances, the required changes are neither appropriate nor necessary”, the decision said.

On the other hand, the protection of the victims has also rejected the request, saying they could influence witnesses who have dual status, so that of the victim, in the case of war crimes.

Protection of the victims says the court in the war crimes case is not responsible for protecting Thaci's rights for a fair trial in the case against justice administration.

After all fronts were taken from the parties, the court has made a decision to reject Thaci's request in this court case, where along with Kadri Veselini, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi are accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

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.