The convictions of Kosovo’s former President Hashim Thaçi and three senior former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaders for war crimes on September 16, 2026, are an important step toward accountability for victims of the 1998-1999 Kosovo conflict, Human Rights Watch said today.
The Kosovo Specialist Chambers, based in The Hague, found Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Jakup Krasniqi, and Rexhep Selimi guilty of war crimes including murder, torture, cruel treatment, and arbitrary detention. The court acquitted the four men on charges of crimes against humanity. The convictions were for crimes committed during the war in Kosovo and northern Albania, against Kosovo Albanians, Serbs, Roma, and others. The court sentenced Thaçi and Krasniqi to 25 years, Veseli to 18 years, and Selimi to 13 years in prison.
“This verdict sends an important message to victims and their families that even powerful leaders are not beyond the reach of justice,” said Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The court’s findings underscore that accountability for serious wartime crimes should apply to everyone, regardless of their position or affiliation.”
For more, read Human Rights Watch’s press release below.
