Bekim Blakaj, Director of the Humanitarian Law Fund, commented on the judicial process involving former President Hashim Thaçi and others. He emphasized that every accused individual has the right to a fair and timely trial.
Regarding Thaçi, Blakaj stated that the second trial has been used by the prosecution, and later by the panel, as a justification to continue pretrial detention.
“Every accused has the right to a fair trial within a reasonable time. This trial has been excessively prolonged. If this were the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, I believe they would have already been released years ago. This court has set new standards that we haven’t seen before. One justification is also the fear of flight,” Blakaj explained.
He added that for the other three accused, who do not have a second trial, once the prosecution’s witness testimony concluded, the conditions for release were met, since they had no opportunity to intimidate defense witnesses.
“In the case of Mr. Hashim Thaçi, the second trial is being used as a reason by the prosecution, and later also by the panel, to avoid interrupting pretrial detention. It is being used as a justification,” Blakaj told Info Magazinë on Klan Kosova.
