Protecting former KLA leaders urgently requires access to Apel's confidential act in Peter Shala's case

The protection of Thaci and others, in their request submitted on July 22nd 2025, which has been addressed to the Appeals Panel, which declared the indictment against Shala, have said there is a legitimate investigative goal for this request and that access to the required material is necessary for protection because, according to them, would facilitate the judicial process in this case, reports “Voting for Justice<1>, broadcast Periscope.

The defence has said this requirement will not affect safeguard clauses in force that are applicable in this case. They have even said that any use of confidential parts of the act will also be presented in a confidential way.

The four defences, in their request, have said that the crimes Shala has been charged with are identical time and geographically with those for which the KLA's fours are charged.

They even say the accused are charged under the responsibility of the joint criminal enterprise during the period involving March 1998 through September 1999 in the context of an armed conflict.

The defence therefore says that access to the Appeals Act is necessary for them, especially in preparing the final summary of the trial.

The defence has also underlined the fact that the victim's representative has said some important issues to procedures in the case against the KLA four have been resolved in the Apel's act against Shala.

“The defense already has access to the first degree confidential Action and Punishment. Therefore, there is no legitimate reason to prevent access to the confidential version of the Apel's act of”, says the defense request for access to the confidential version of the Apel Act against Peter Shala.

Otherwise, a similar request had been handed over to the court on this occasion on July 17, 2025, but the court had instructed the defense that such a request be handed over to the Appeals panel, which has declared the act of judgment.

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 in all 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 17th 2025, ending the testimony of the victims' defence 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. /Periscope