A special court in The Hague sentenced former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci to 25 years for war crimes including torture and murder.
Published
Hashim Thaci, the former president of Kosovo and leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), received a 25-year prison sentence from a court in The Hague after a conviction for war crimes. Judges found him guilty alongside three fellow ex-guerrilla leaders per Balkan Insight for crimes committed during the 1998-99 conflict per Balkan Insight.
The court convicted the group for war crimes including arbitrary detention, torture, and murder. The trial examined the conduct of KLA forces during the wartime period.
The ruling sparked mass protests in Pristina. Supporters chanted and clashed with police following the announcement of the lengthy sentence per EuroNews.
Thaci served as president before his arrest to face trial at the specialized court in the Netherlands. The verdict ends the trial at the court in The Hague.
Sources: 1. Al Jazeera: Kosovo’s former president guilty of war crimes — https://www.aljazeera.com/video/newsfeed/2026/9/16/kosovos-former-president-guilty-of-war-crimes?traffic_source=rss (src1) 2. EuroNews: Kosovo war crimes court jails ex-president Hashim Thaçi for 25 years, sparking mass protests — https://www.euronews.com/video/2026/09/16/kosovo-war-crimes-court-jails-ex-president-hashim-thaci-for-25-years-sparking-mass-protest (src2) 3. Balkan Insight: Hague Court Convicts Kosovo Liberation Army Leaders of War Crimes — https://balkaninsight.com/2026/09/16/hague-court-convicts-kosovo-liberation-army-leaders-of-war-crimes/btj/ (src3) 4.