Kosovo ex-president Thaci jailed 25 years for war crimes by EU-backed court
An EU-backed Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague convicted former Kosovo president Hashim Thaci on four counts of war crimes—murder, torture, cruel treatment, and arbitrary detention—committed during the 1998-99 Kosovo war, and sentenced him to 25 years in prison. Thaci, who resigned to face trial, was tried alongside three other ex-KLA leaders; prosecutors had sought up to 45 years. Thousands marched in Pristina in support of the defendants, underscoring Kosovo-Serbia tensions and the international effort to safeguard witnesses in these proceedings.