Political scientist and writer Bardhyl Mahmuti has sent a letter to the judges of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague, urging them to rely on international jurisprudence when reaching their decision in the case against Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi, and Jakup Krasniqi.
In the letter addressed to judges Charles Smith III, Christoph Barthe, Guénaël Mettraux, and Fergal Gaynor, Mahmuti compared the trial in The Hague to the historic “Dreyfus Affair,” arguing that the judges’ decision will carry historical significance.
He called on the judges to dismiss what he described as the allegation of a “joint criminal enterprise,” arguing that such a legal concept was not supported by certain precedents in international jurisprudence.
Mahmuti claimed that Thaçi, Veseli, Selimi, and Krasniqi have been held in detention for more than five years and criticized the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office for seeking lengthy sentences against them.
In his letter, he referred to cases before international courts, including the Special Court for Sierra Leone and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, arguing that previous judgments did not support portraying the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) as a criminal enterprise.
He also highlighted the testimonies of several international figures who appeared during the proceedings, arguing that their statements should be considered by the trial panel.
“Your decision will remain in the annals of history,” Mahmuti wrote, adding that the judges would “remain in the memory of humanity” because of the verdict they deliver.
The trial of Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi, and Jakup Krasniqi before the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague concerns allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Kosovo war. The defendants have denied all charges against them.
