Venkateswari Alagendra, lead defence counsel for Jakup Krasniqi, has reacted to the verdict issued by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague, announcing that the defence will appeal the decision.
Alagendra said the defence team was disappointed with the judgment and would carefully examine the Trial Panel’s reasoning.
“It is already clear that we will appeal this judgment. Our position is that the only appropriate outcome, based on the evidence, was for Jakup Krasniqi to be acquitted of all charges,” she said.
The lawyer also highlighted Krasniqi’s age, noting that he is nearly 76 years old, and recalled that he has spent almost six years in pre-trial detention in connection with these charges.
According to Alagendra, during the trial, which lasted more than two years, no witness testified that they had been mistreated by Krasniqi or in his presence.
She added that international witnesses, as well as prosecution witnesses from Kosovo, had described Krasniqi as a moderate and democratic leader.
“History cannot be rewritten. Those who defended the life and freedom that the KLA sought and worked for cannot now be portrayed as the villains of history,” Alagendra said.
She said Krasniqi remains proud of his fight for Kosovo and expressed gratitude to the people of Kosovo for their continued support throughout the proceedings.
The defence team will now examine the judgment in detail and assess the possibilities for an appeal, as well as other legal remedies available to Krasniqi.
