The hearing in the trial of former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), taking place at the Specialized Chambers of Kosovo in The Hague, has been temporarily delayed due to technical problems, T7 television reported from the courtroom. The delay is expected to last approximately 40 minutes.
The ongoing session covers the closing statements in the case against former KLA leaders Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi, and Jakup Krasniqi.
The defense team of Jakup Krasniqi will have today an additional hour and a half to complete their final statement, which was initially started on Friday.
Defense Arguments
Aiden Ellis, representing Krasniqi, stated that the evidence does not prove that his client bore primary responsibility for official communications. According to the prosecution, Krasniqi was allegedly responsible for drafting and editing these communications. Ellis emphasized, however, that “it has never been proven that Mr. Krasniqi had primary responsibility for these communications. Paragraph 554 of the prosecution’s case file clearly illustrates the failures of the prosecution.”
Krasniqi’s lead attorney, Venkateswari Alagendra, called for her client to be acquitted of all charges and returned to his family. She highlighted that Krasniqi has been held in pre-trial detention in The Hague for 1,926 days.
“Only one option exists: a verdict of not guilty on all charges against Jakup Krasniqi. We urge this honorable court to declare him innocent and allow this 75-year-old man to return to his family to spend the remaining years of his life with them,” Alagendra said.
She further argued that the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office (SPO) relies on speculation and unsupported claims, with no witnesses asserting that Krasniqi mistreated anyone. The defense accused the SPO of selectively presenting documents and testimony to suit its narrative while ignoring evidence that contradicts the prosecution’s case.
Prosecution and Defense Timeline
The SPO’s closing statement began on February 9, 2026, concluding the following day, with Chief Specialist Prosecutor Kimberly West requesting a 45-year prison sentence for each of the four defendants.
The defense response began on February 10, with subsequent closing statements delivered by the defense teams of Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, and Rexhep Selimi over the following days. All defense teams have requested the acquittal of the former KLA leaders, arguing that the prosecution has not proven its case.
This trial represents the largest judicial process conducted by the Specialized Chambers in The Hague, addressing allegations against key figures from Kosovo’s post-war leadership.
