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By:
Ardit Kika
- February 9, 2026 19:05 AM
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The specialized prosecutor's office has requested 180 years in prison for the former leaders of the KLA General Staff, Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Jakup Krasniqi and Rexhep Selimi. In their closing arguments, the prosecutors said that the staff members decided to release the detainees whenever they wanted.
The Specialized Prosecutor's Office has requested 45 years in prison for each defendant at the beginning of the final arguments in the court case against former KLA leaders.
Chief Prosecutor Kimberly West, while requesting the punishment for former President Hashim Thaçi, former parliamentarians Kadri Vesli and Jakup Krasniqi, as well as the former head of the Vetëvendosje parliamentary group, Rexhep Selimi, highlighted before the court the testimonies of the families of the missing.
West said that attempts were made to influence, mitigate or alter certain evidence, particularly for the benefit of the accused Thaçi.
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Letter to the Reader — Why We're Asking for Your Support Contribute"They risked coming here to describe their sadness, their feelings of grief and the tragedy of losing their family members. Witness 04811 explained, and I quote, 25 years and no answers and we don't know what happened and that's what kills you the most," West said.
When talking about Thaçi, the Prosecution emphasized the testimony of former Human Rights Watch official Fredrick Abrahams, when he spoke about the release of two Tanjug employees.
Thaçi, according to the witness, told him that he could not release them without the permission of the military court led by Sokol Dobruna.
"Human Rights Watch could not interfere with the judicial process, that's what Thaçi said, and it was not possible for the civilian judicial authorities to be influenced by them... The court has decided on death sentences and these have been decisions that were either based on personal relationships and the verdicts themselves were signed by people who were not part of the court, including people who were part of the General Staff," said prosecutor Clare Lawson.
As an argument for Krasniqi's responsibility, the ZPS displayed on the screen an order to appear at the General Staff - addressed to Blerim Kuçi and also to the former commander of the Pashtrik Zone who was killed after the war - Ekrem Rexha.
There, Krasniqi is signed as deputy commander.
And in Klecka, according to the SPO, Rexhep Selimi personally participated in the mistreatment.
"Both Blerim Kuçi and the Savelic brothers were detained at a location between Klecka and Divjaka where the KLA General Staff was headquartered. From the end of 98 until June 22, 1999, the location served as a detention facility designated by the General Staff and managed by the Military Police. The detainees, who included Serbs and Albanians, were held for varying periods of time, from several days to several weeks. As described in paragraphs 967 of our file, the detainees were brutally beaten, including by Rexhep Selimi, while 11 detainees were killed," Lawson said.
Prosecutor Clare Lawson said that witness Douglas Young, as well as other evidence, made it clear that in addition to Selim, Jakup Krasniqi and Kadri Veseli were also aware of the events in Klecka.
“As stated in his testimony and as reflected by him, he received information that he was being held by the KLA. After being shown Xhafiqi’s documents and after being informed that a person who introduced himself as 10, the nickname of Rexhep Selim, Xhafiqi was identified as being under the control of a high-ranking formation. In fact, Young was one of two witnesses who gave evidence before this court regarding Selim’s knowledge of his abduction. As detailed in other parts of our file, in addition to Selim, Krasniqi, Veseli and Dobruna, there were other persons who had direct knowledge and were involved in the detention site in Klecke,” she said.
And prosecutor Nathan Quick said that the General Staff made collective decisions and most of its decisions were implemented, and that it had authority over the area commanders.
During their closing arguments, the prosecutors relied on various KLA communiqués, especially those addressed to Serbia's collaborators, institutionalists, and pacifists.
Chief Prosecutor West emphasized during her closing statement that the defendants committed crimes to gain control over all of Kosovo.