Shala complains to the Supreme against Apel's decision to endorse the 208 thousand-euro retaliatory order against victims

In a plea put forward through defence on April 29, 2026, which was made public on May 18th, Shala has demanded that Appeal's decision be annulled and the case be returned before another panel of judges, reports “Justice Vow“, broadcast Periscope.

Initially, in its request, the defence says that Appeals during making the decision incorrectly interpreted the law, arguing that he applied the same standard he had in considering appeals to criminal sentences to him for compensation.

According to the request, it has violated Shala's right to effective access to court.

In addition, the panel of judges is said to have violated the procedure by violating Shala's right to fair judgment. That has been said, arguing that the compensation procedures were held before the prison sentence against him took the cut form in the Appeals.

Defence at the request says it violated Shala's right to presumption innocent until his guilt is proven.

Also, it is said that under Shala's protection, during the decision, substantial violations of the procedure have been carried out, as no records of the medical expenses a victim has experienced (the W04733 victim) during the definition of material damage suffered by indirect victims.

Thus, the defence claims the Judicial panel during determining compensation to the victims is based mainly on statements by victims and their families. According to her, the Court simply “supposed” the existence of medical costs without sufficient evidence.

The defence also argues that the Court has not clarified which health problems of the W04733 are directly related to the events at the Kukes Metali Fabric, and to what extent they influenced its state of health or ability to work.

In conclusion, the defence requires that the Supreme Court annul Apel's decision on compensation and reverse the case for reconsideration by another panel, or take any other measures it considers necessary to protect the legality and justice of the procedure.

The decision on compensation to Peter Shala was taken on November 29, 2024, with the cases being ordered to pay a total of 208 thousand euros. This decision was confirmed by Apel on January 29, 2026.

Otherwise, the Court of Appeals of Specialised Chambers of Kosovo in The Hague has declared on July 14th 2025 the condemnation of Peter Shala, condemning him to 13 years in prison. This court, with this ruling, reduced the sentence to Shala, who by the first instance had been sentenced to 18 years in prison. And the Supreme Court has overturned Peter Shala's request for protection of legitimacy against Apel's decision.

The trial was proclaimed by the court consisting of Michele Picard-chairman, and judges Kai Ambos and Nina Jorgensen.

Judge Ambos, who read the indictment, said that Apel partially approved points 7, 12 and 14 of Shala's complaint, while bring down the appeal for other aspects.

Mr. Shala's subx0> partially provides point 7, partly point 12 and partly Mr. Shala's point of appeal. It partly contains the guilty verdict for point 1 and 3 of the indictment over their parts based on arbitrary ban on two persons and on torturing five people. Mr. Shala's appeal to all other aspects. It makes the rest of Mr. Shala's guilty verdict effective for the war on arbitrary ban by Article 14 (1c) and Article 16 (1a) of the Law, according to the 1st indictment-war crime of torture and the war crime of illegal murder”, Ambos said.

The judge said that Apel leaves the 6-year prison sentence for the indictment's point 1 in prison, while he annulled his 16-year sentence for the indictment's point 3. This court sentenced Shala to 13 years in prison in connection with the 4th indictment point. However, he canceled his 18 - year prison sentence on the same charge and sentenced him to 13 years in prison.

The appeal annulled the unique 18-year prison sentence declared by the first instance and sentenced Shala to 13 years in prison, even counting his time in custody.

On July 16th, Peter Shala has been sentenced to 18 years in prison, where it was found that beyond the allegations he is guilty of points 1, 3 and 4 of the prosecution.

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.

Peter Shala was arrested on 16 March 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 the command for transfer issued by Kosovo's Specialised Chambers. From that time on, he is in custody.

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”, the communiqué reported. /Periscope