Toby Cadman, former lawyer for Nasim Haradinaj in his case at The Hague, says he hopes Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi will be acquitted, based on his experience with the Kosovo Specialist Chambers and the evidence presented during their trial.
Speaking on Debat Plus, Cadman said he wants the four former KLA leaders to be released, drawing on his experience representing Haradinaj before the Specialist Chambers.
Asked what happens procedurally if the four are convicted, Cadman stressed that tomorrow’s ruling will be a first-instance judgment and not necessarily the final word in the case.
“The defence teams will carefully review the judgment, which will almost certainly run to many hundreds of pages. It will be a very careful and lengthy process,” Cadman explained.
He said the defendants have the right to pursue appeals through the relevant judicial stages, including the Court of Appeals and Supreme Court, as well as constitutional review.
“So we have to wait, and we have to stress again that this is not a final decision being announced tomorrow. This is a first-instance decision,” Cadman said. “It can be overturned on appeal.”
Cadman also warned about the potential impact of the verdict on Kosovo’s international relations and domestic stability, particularly if convictions are handed down.
He said emotions surrounding the case are extremely strong on all sides and stressed that any public protests in Kosovo should remain peaceful.
“What we must ensure is that any protest against the judgment remains peaceful. Citizens in Kosovo are, of course, entirely free to protest,” he said.
Cadman then pointed to statements by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, accusing him of attempting to predict the outcome of the case while claiming to possess inside information.
“We have already seen statements made by the Serbian president, Aleksandar Vučić, in which he is trying to predict the outcome of this case and claims to have inside information, which is deeply concerning and an attempt to raise tensions,” Cadman said.
He stressed that the priority should be to ensure the safety of Kosovo’s citizens, protect the integrity of its institutions and prevent anything that could undermine Kosovo’s independence or its functioning as a democratic state.
Cadman also highlighted what he described as one of the central issues in the case: the prosecution’s allegation that the KLA was part of a joint criminal enterprise.
He said any attempt to portray the KLA or Kosovo’s struggle for independence in a negative light should be challenged.
The verdict in the case against Thaçi, Veseli, Selimi and Krasniqi is scheduled to be delivered in The Hague on September 16.
