KLA's OVL criticises process of establishing Special Court and Way of Arrests

According to the response, the process of establishing the Special Court did not result from an internal reform of the justice system in Kosovo, but was launched after the report submitted in 2011 by Swiss Senator Dick Marty at the Council of Europe, which contained serious charges against members of the KLA, including organ trafficking claims.

It further notes that this report created strong international pressure on Kosovo, putting the country in the face of a new political reality.

The court's “mandate was limited and focused solely on claims for “crimes committed by KLA members”. In the political and moral plan, this has produced the perception of a fragmented justice. In Albanian public opinion, the view remains simple: a special international mechanism has been set up to try only one side -- Albanians. This perception has been further deepened by the close co-operation of Serbian institutions with the Specialised Prosecutor's Chambers at The Hague”.

The 2020 arrests, including former President Hashim Thaci, Jakup Krasniqi, Kadri Veselini, Rexhep Selimi and others, marked the moment the process took on a powerful symbolic dimension. Through EULEX operations, dozens of car arrests were conducted, heavily disguised and armed special forces, armoured vehicles. Those who had publicly declared willingness to surrender voluntarily tied their hands as if they were fugitives. Road arrests, phone seizures, 24-hour stops, search houses with public exposure, a wild force show. Even if such measures can be reasoned with safety standards, public image deeply influenced social opinion. Justice is perceived not only through legal documents but also through the way it applies on the ground”.