The Kosovo war crimes tribunal in The Hague has sentenced former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci to 25 years in prison for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the 1990s conflict.
Key points
- Thaci, 58, was convicted on four counts including murder, torture, illegal detention, and cruel treatment as top commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army.
- The tribunal found him guilty of the murder of 96 political opponents and perceived collaborators, alongside the illegal detention of 385 people.
- Thaci denied all charges throughout the trial, which drew large crowds of supporters outside the tribunal in The Hague and in Pristina.
Why it matters
The ruling marks a monumental milestone for the Kosovo war crimes tribunal, addressing accountability for the violent 1990s dissolution of the former Yugoslavia while deepening political tensions in the region.
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