On July 15th, second-degree bias against Peter Shala is declared

The decision on the appointment of this session was made on June 4th 2025, and the session is expected to begin by 10:00, taking into account 45 minutes of late broadcasting.

“CAKTON'S announcement of the Appeal Act on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, at 10:00; and U ON July 4, 2025, if they are present in the courtroom during this hearing, as detailed above in paragraph 4”, the decision is said.

Two appeals hearings (May 15th and 16th 2025) in this case have been held in which the defence has sought Shala's release or the return of the case to the retrial, while the prosecution has said the court in this case has decided correctly. Like the Prosecutor, there has been a defense of the victims.

Otherwise, on March 28th 2025, a defense request has been rejected that Sokol Dobruna be called her witness.

In her decision, the head of the court, Michel Picard, has said the proposed evidence would not affect the trial of Shala in case they were accepted during the first-degree trial, where Shala was sentenced to 18 years in prison for war crimes.

In contrast, Peter Shala, represented by his defense, has submitted to the Appeals a plea against the reform order being pronounced on November 29, 2024, which forced him to pay the victims 208 thousand euros.

Based on five points, Shala seeks to suspend the Appeals panel's appeal against this order until the 18-year prison sentence is considered, against him for war crimes, or to cancel the measure given and turn it into a review of another jury.

On July 16th, Peter Shala has been sentenced to 18 years in prison, where he was found to be guilty of points 1, 3 and 4 of the prosecution. While currently Shala is in the process of Appeal concerning this case, since she has sought protection of legitimacy.

Shala was found guilty of arbitrary detention as a war crime against at least 18 people in the period between May 17th 1999 and June 5th of that year at the Metalli Fabric in Kukes, torture as a war crime against at least 18 people and unlawful murder as a war crime against one person.

Otherwise, during February 2023, the trial had begun on this occasion, where on February 21st the prosecution and the defense of the victims have submitted their opening statements, while on February 22nd they have heard Peter Shala's opening statements of defense as well as statements without his oath.

In March 2023 the presentation of the prosecution's evidence had begun, where 10 witnesses were heard, and in August had begun presenting evidence from the defender of the victims where two witnesses were heard.

Peter Shala was arrested on March 16, 2021, by Belgian authorities and transferred to The Hague on April 15, 2021, on the basis of a request for co-operation in implementing the warrant and order for transfer issued by Kosovo's Specialised Chambers.

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 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.