The Special Prosecution of the Republic of Kosovo has confirmed that 11 indictments for war crimes were filed by December 2025, charging a total of 36 individuals, 33 of whom are being tried in absentia.
According to the prosecution, these indictments relate to the criminal offense of “war crimes against the civilian population.” During the same period, eight requests for pre-trial detention were submitted against 10 individuals.
“During 2025, specifically until December 1, the Special Prosecution filed 11 indictments for war crimes against civilians. A total of 36 individuals were charged, including 33 in trials conducted in absentia,” the prosecution stated.
The prosecution further reported that the total number of cases involving war crime indictments now stands at 74, comprising 80 indictments against 216 individuals. Of these, 20 indictments involve trials in absentia, covering 102 accused persons.
Challenges in Prosecuting War Crimes
Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Fejzullah Hasani, highlighted the significant challenges faced by Kosovo’s authorities in prosecuting war crimes, stressing that a long period has elapsed and evidence is often fragile and easily lost.
Hasani emphasized that it is crucial for Kosovo to secure final and enforceable verdicts in war crimes cases, in order to strengthen justice and accountability.
Trials in Absentia and Access to Justice
Amer Alija, from the Humanitarian Law Fund, noted that in recent years war crimes indictments in absentia have become dominant, reflecting the difficulties in securing the presence of suspects.
Meanwhile, the Kosovo Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Survivors (KRCT) described 2025 as a “year of justice.”
Fatmire Haliti from the organization stated that progress has been made in improving access to justice for survivors of sexual violence during the war.
The first-ever verdict in absentia was delivered in 2024, sentencing Čedomir Aksić for war crimes committed in the villages of Reçak, Mulapolc, and Petrovë, in the municipality of Shtime.
Scale of War Crimes and Continued Denial
During the 1998–1999 war in Kosovo, more than 13,000 civilians were killed, over 20,000 women and men were subjected to sexual violence, more than 6,000 people were forcibly disappeared, with 1,600 still missing, and over 800,000 people were displaced.
Despite these documented crimes, Serbia continues to deny responsibility for war crimes committed in Kosovo.
