At 17:00 today, veteran organizations are set to stage a mass protest in Prishtina under the slogan “Against Injustice”, denouncing what they describe as the unjust detention of former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaders currently held in The Hague.
The protest is being organized by the Organization of KLA War Veterans (OVL-UÇK), which has coordinated logistics with citizens across the country, including transport arrangements.
“We have coordinated with our structures and many citizens. For those wishing to travel by bus, the ‘Prishtina’ parking lot near the Palace of Youth will be available for arrivals,”
said Gazmend Syla, Vice President of OVL-UÇK.
Syla underscored the importance of public participation to show solidarity with former KLA commanders facing trial at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, stressing that their prosecution is politically and morally unjustified.
“I invite all citizens who stand with us and with our comrades being unjustly tried in The Hague to join the protest. Let’s send a clear message—not only to them but to the international community—that they are not alone,”
Syla declared.
Organizers have stressed that the protest will be peaceful, aimed at expressing solidarity and national unity.
Who Supports the Protest?
The initiative has garnered broad support from political parties, members of parliament, civil society organizations, and large groups of citizens across Kosovo and the diaspora.
Who Are the Detainees?
The individuals at the center of the protest—Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Jakup Krasniqi, and Rexhep Selimi—have been held in pre-trial detention in The Hague since November 2020.
They face charges of war crimes but have pleaded not guilty to all allegations.
The trial at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers officially began on April 3, 2023.
