Kosovo ex-President Thaci convicted of war crimes, sentenced to 25 years

The Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague convicted former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci of four counts of war crimes on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, sentencing him to 25 years in prison. The 58-year-old, who served as both prime minister and president, was found guilty of murder, torture, cruel treatment, and arbitrary detention committed during his role as a senior commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) in the 1998–1999 war for independence from Serbia. Prosecutors had sought sentences of up to 45 years. Three co-defendants—Jakup Krasniqi, Kadri Veseli, and Rexhep Selimi—received 25, 18, and 13 years respectively. All four men denied the charges and were acquitted on six counts of crimes against humanity, which judges ruled had not been proven as part of a widespread, systematic attack on civilians.

According to court findings, the defendants were criminally responsible for the arbitrary detention of at least 385 people at locations in Kosovo and northern Albania, with approximately 303 subjected to torture and 348 to cruel treatment. The court documented 96 cases of unlawful killing, with victims identified as political opponents and perceived collaborators with Serbian security forces. Judge Charles Smith stated the men had been engaged in a "common criminal purpose" and noted that detainees were often identified and held on the basis of "unverified rumors." Thaci was found to have "used his position, leadership, authority and standing" to encourage crimes. The court stressed that the trial concerned criminal responsibility for specific acts, not the legitimacy of the KLA's independence goal.

Thaci, who earned the nickname "the Snake" during the war for his ability to evade Serbian forces, had become Kosovo's first prime minister when the territory declared independence in 2008. He resigned from office in 2020 to face trial at The Hague and has been detained there since his indictment, with time served counting toward his sentence. He faces an additional separate trial on charges of witness intimidation.

The verdict sparked significant backlash in Kosovo, where many Kosovan Albanians regard Thaci and KLA leaders as heroes of the independence struggle. Thousands had gathered in the capital, Pristina, expecting his acquittal, with supporters erecting billboards and countdown clocks to the verdict. When the sentence was announced, shock and silence initially gripped the crowd watching on a large screen, followed by anger. Late Wednesday, some protesters clashed with riot police outside the EU's Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX), waving KLA flags and blocking traffic. Police used water cannons to disperse demonstrators gathered near the court in The Hague. Prime Minister Albin Kurti called the verdict "a great and harmful punishment" and urged the decision be "corrected" on appeal.

The 1998–1999 Kosovo war resulted in approximately 13,000 deaths, mostly ethnic Albanians. A 78-day NATO air campaign against Serbian forces ended the conflict. About 1 million ethnic Albanian Kosovars were displaced during the war. Kosovo declared independence in 2008, a move Serbia does not recognize; tensions between the two nations remain despite years of EU and US-mediated negotiations.