Peace Through Law

Case Sheet · KSC The Prosecutor v. Salih Mustafa Case Number KSC-BC-2020-05 Status End of Appeal Context Salih Mustafa was Commander of a BIA guerrilla unit operating within the Llap Operational Zone of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). He was found guilty on 16 December 2022 of three war crimes — arbitrary detention, torture, and murder — committed against persons detained at a compound in the village of Zllash/Zlaš, in the Gollak region of Kosovo, in April 1999. He was acquitted of the war crime of cruel treatment. The Trial Panel sentenced him to 26 years of imprisonment. On 14 December 2023, the Appeals Panel affirmed the convictions but reduced the sentence to 22 years. Following a successful protection of legality request, the sentence was further reduced to 15 years by the Appeals Panel on 10 September 2024. This is ...

Case Sheet · KSC The Prosecutor v. Hashim Thaçi, Bashkim Smakaj, Isni Kilaj, Fadil Fazliu, and Hajredin Kuçi  Case Number KSC-BC-2024-01 Status Trial Stage Context This case concerns alleged offences against the administration of justice arising from the principal war crimes trial (KSC-BC-2020-06). According to the indictment, between at least 12 April 2023 and 2 November 2023, Hashim Thaçi, during non-privileged visits to the KSC Detention Facilities, provided Bashkim Smakaj, Isni Kilaj, Fadil Fazliu and Hajredin Kuçi with confidential information about protected witnesses, instructed them to influence those witnesses’ testimonies, and coordinated three distinct groups to that end. Thaçi is charged with 11 counts; Smakaj, Kilaj and Fazliu are charged with attempted obstruction and contempt of court; Kuçi is charged with cont...

Case Sheet · KSC The Prosecutor v. Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi, and Jakup Krasniqi  Case Number KSC-BC-2020-06 Status Trial Stage Context The four accused are former senior officials of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA): Hashim Thaçi (KLA General Staff member, later Prime Minister and President of Kosovo), Kadri Veseli (head of the KLA Intelligence Directorate), Rexhep Selimi (KLA General Inspector), and Jakup Krasniqi (KLA Spokesperson and Deputy Commander). The indictment alleges that between at least March 1998 and September 1999 they bore individual and command responsibility for crimes against hundreds of civilians and persons not taking active part in hostilities, committed in approximately 50 KLA detention sites across Kosovo and northern Albania.  Pre-Trial ...

Case Sheet · KSC The Prosecutor v. Sabit Januzi, Ismet Bahtijari, and Haxhi Shala Case Number KSC-BC-2023-10 Status   Enforcement of Sentence Context Sabit Januzi, Ismet Bahtijari and Haxhi Shala were charged with offences against the administration of justice. According to the indictment, between 5 and 12 April 2023, at Shala’s direction, Januzi and Bahtijari individually approached a protected KSC witness on two separate occasions in order to induce him to withdraw or refrain from giving evidence, using serious threat and the promise of a benefit. In December 2024, all three entered into plea agreements with the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office, admitting guilt to obstructing official persons and intimidation during criminal proceedings. On 4 February 2025, the Trial Panel approved the plea agreements and sentenced Haxhi Shal...

Case Sheet · KSC The Prosecutor v. Pjetër Shala  Case Number KSC-BC-2020-04 Status End of Appeal   Context Pjetër Shala was a member of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) stationed in Kukës, Albania. The charges relate to crimes committed between approximately 17 May 1999 and 5 June 1999 against persons detained at the Kukës Metal Factory, used by the KLA as a detention and interrogation site. The victims were persons suspected of collaborating with Serbian authorities or not sufficiently supporting the KLA. On 16 July 2024, Trial Panel I found Shala guilty of the war crimes of arbitrary detention, torture, and murder and sentenced him to 18 years of imprisonment. He was acquitted of cruel treatment. On 14 July 2025, the Appeals Panel affirmed the convictions but reduced the sentence to 13 years. This is the second war cri...