Thousands rallied in Pristina to support former president Hashim Thaci and three ex-KLA commanders ahead of verdicts at a Hague-based tribunal. Prosecutors seek up to 45-year sentences on charges that include murder, torture and persecution tied to the 1998–1999 conflict that left about 13,000 dead. The defendants deny the allegations, and supporters say the trial is politically motivated. The pending rulings are expected to reverberate across the Balkans and affect Kosovo's international relations.
Thousands Rally in Pristina to Back Hashim Thaci Ahead of Hague War-Crimes Verdict
People rallied in support of a former president and three other ex-fighters ahead of their verdicts next week at a Netherlands-based court which tried them for alleged war crimes during a 1998-1999 separatist war from Serbia, in the capital Pristina, Kosovo, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Zana Cimili)
Thousands of people gathered in the central square of Pristina on Saturday to demonstrate support for former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci and three other ex-KLA commanders as they await verdicts next week in a war-crimes case at a court based in The Hague.
The crowd filled the main square, many waving red-and-black Albanian flags. Portraits of the four former fighters were displayed across the city and a prominent digital clock counted down to the judges’ rulings scheduled for Wednesday. One large banner read: "In the name of the people, declare them innocent."
Attendees included Fadil Gashi, who traveled by bus from the southeastern town of Gjilan. "This is the least we can do — to come here today for them," he said.
Allegations and Legal Context
Prosecutors have asked for maximum prison terms of up to 45 years for Hashim Thaci and co-defendants Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi. The four face charges that include murder, torture and the persecution of civilians during and after the 1998–1999 conflict between Kosovo and Serbian forces — a war that left roughly 13,000 people dead and displaced about 1 million ethnic Albanian Kosovars.
Thaci resigned as president in 2020 to face 10 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes. He and the other defendants have been in custody at the tribunal since November 2020. The court sits in The Hague but is formally part of Kosovo’s judicial framework. All four men deny the charges; Thaci told judges in a closing statement earlier this year that he is innocent and that "the only just decision would be my full acquittal."
Political Reactions and Regional Significance
Supporters at the rally praised the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) as a liberation movement. Some Kosovo officials and allies have criticized the proceedings as politically motivated and argued the trial seeks to create a false equivalence with Serbia — whose political and military figures were previously tried by a U.N.-backed tribunal for crimes in Kosovo.
Speaking to the crowd, politician Bedri Hamza said, "We will not allow history to be rewritten," adding: "A just decision strengthens justice, while an unjust one destroys it. Kosovo is waiting, Kosovo is watching, Kosovo is standing firm." Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama called for "freedom for the liberators," posting on social media that "the farce is in its final days."
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 with support from the United States and most EU countries. Serbia — backed by Russia and China — does not recognize Kosovo’s independence, a long-standing source of tension in the Balkans. Both Kosovo and Serbia are seeking European Union membership and have been told they must normalize relations before joining.
What’s next: Judges in The Hague are due to deliver verdicts on Wednesday. The outcome is likely to have significant political reverberations across Kosovo and the wider region.
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