The Kosovo Ombudsperson, Naim Qelaj, has expressed concern over alleged procedural violations in the trials of former Kosovo Liberation Army (UÇK) leaders at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague.
During an end-of-year press conference, Qelaj highlighted worries raised by defense teams representing Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Jakup Krasniqi, and Rexhep Selimi. These teams have voiced suspicions of judicial bias against their clients.
Lack of Cooperation from Specialist Ombudsperson
Qelaj noted attempts to engage with the Ombudsperson operating within the Specialist Chambers but reported a lack of willingness to cooperate.
“I observed no interest in collaboration. Furthermore, no public information has been shared, with confidentiality being the recurring justification. There is a complete lack of transparency from that institution toward me as the Ombudsperson and, I believe, the public,” Qelaj said.
In November, defense teams formally submitted documents to the Specialist Chambers, outlining concerns over what they perceive as unfair trials and breaches of international justice standards.
Overview of the Charges
The former UÇK leaders are being tried for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, including illegal detention, inhumane treatment, torture, and unlawful killings.
The crimes are alleged to have occurred between March 1998 and September 1999 in various locations in Kosovo, as well as in Kukës and Cahan, Albania.
In December, the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office filed additional charges against Thaçi and others, accusing them of “unlawful attempts to influence witness testimonies” in their war crimes trials.
All the accused have pleaded not guilty.
Specialist Chambers Background
Established in 2015 by the Kosovo Assembly, the Specialist Chambers is part of Kosovo’s judiciary but operates with international staff and is based in The Hague.
Its mandate is to investigate and prosecute crimes allegedly committed by UÇK members against ethnic minorities and political rivals from January 1998 to December 2000.
