“Following their arrests by the Specialist Prosecutor on 4thand 5th November, Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi were transferred to the Detention Facilities of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers (KSC) in The Hague on 4th and 5th November,” reads a press release issued by the Special Court late on Thursday night. The Special Court also published a redacted version of the indictment, announcing that was confirmed as of October 26th, as well as the warrants for the arrest and detainment of five defendants (Thaci, Veseli, Selimi, Krasniqi and Salih Mustafa).
The indictment issued against Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi have now been confirmed.
The confirmed indictment alleges that war crimes of „illegal or arbitrary arrest and detention“, „cruel treatment“, „torture and murder“, as well as crimes against humanity, such as „imprisonment, other inhumane acts, torture, murder, forced disappearances and persecutions“ were carried out between March 1998 and September 1999.
“The crimes charged took place in several locations across Kosovo as well as in Kukës and Cahan, in Northern Albania, and were committed by members of the Kosovo Liberation Army (“KLA”) against hundreds of civilians and persons not taking part in hostilities,” the Specialist Chambers said.
The victims included persons suspected of being opposed to the KLA and later the Provisional Government of Kosovo, namely: the Serbian, Roma and Ashkali populations; Catholics; civilians allegedly collaborating with Serb authorities or allegedly interacting with Serbs; Albanians affiliated to or supporting the Democratic League of Kosovo or other parties perceived as anti-KLA; Albanians who did not join or support the KLA; and individuals with current or former employment perceived as anti-KLA.
The confirmed indictment alleges that Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi are “individually criminally responsible, under various forms of responsibility, for the crimes charged, which were committed in the context of a non-international armed conflict in Kosovo and were part of a widespread and systematic attack against persons suspected of being opposed to the KLA.“
Information about the date and time of the initial appearances of Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi before the Pre-Trial Judge will be announced in due course.
The Special Court also announced that the initial appearances are public hearings and can be followed by video streaming via the website of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers.
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