Hashim Thaci (Jerry Lampen via AP Photo, Pool)
The defense of former KLA leader Hashim Thaci requested the Specialist Chambers in The Hague on Feb. 11 to acquit Thaci of the charges of war crimes in Kosovo and Albania in 1998 and 1999, claiming that the prosecution had not proven his guilt.
“Hashim Thaci is innocent. You are obligated to reach a verdict to release because the prosecution has not proven the charges,” his defender Luka Misetic stated in his address of the court at the start of the defense’s closing statement.
Misetic claimed that, during the trial, the prosecution failed to present “one direct proof” that Thaci had committed or ordered a crime. “There is no order by Thaci to commit crimes, or a report sent to him by the perpetrators… There is no evidence that Thaci has personally committed any crime,” stated the defense.
Thaci, together with Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi, is accused of crimes against the Serbs, Roma and “collaborationist” Albanians in close to 40 KLA detention camps in Kosovo and in Kukes and Cahan in northern Albania, from March 1998 to September 1999. On Feb. 9, the prosecution sought a guilty verdict for all the accused and a sentence for each of 45 years in prison.
To get full access to all content of interest see our
Subscription offer
Or
Register for free
And read up to 5 articles each month.
Already have an account? Please Log in.