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Kosova

The appeal in The Hague reduces the sentence against the former commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army, Sali Mustafa, to 15 years in prison

Politiko 2024-09-10 20:13:06

The appeal in The Hague reduces the sentence against the former commander of the

The panel of the Court of Appeal in the Specialized Chambers of Kosovo in The Hague has reduced the sentence against the former commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army, Sali Mustafa, to 15 years in prison. In December 2022, Mustafa was sentenced for war crimes to 26 years in prison for unlawful killing, arbitrary detention and torture. In December 2023, the Appeal reduced his sentence to 22 years in prison.

In the announcement of September 10, it was said that the Panel of the Court of Appeal imposed on Mustafa a unified sentence of 15 years of imprisonment “, including the time in detention”.

“ The decision followed the instructions of the decision of the Supreme Court Panel dated July 29, 2024, regarding Mr. Mustafa's request for the protection of legality, which overturned Mr Mustafa's 22-year prison sentence and returned the case back to the Appellate Panel”, the release said.

Mustafa was arrested and then transferred to the detention unit of the Specialized Chambers on September 24, 2020. The judicial process started on September 15, 2021 and 29 witnesses – 14 of the Specialized Prosecutor's Office and 15 of the defense participated in it. During the trial, eight victims also gave their testimonies.

Mustafa is the first person to be convicted by the Specialized Chambers of Kosovo in The Hague –, also known as the Special Court –, on charges related to war crimes. In July of this year, the Court also sentenced Pjetër Shala to 18 years in prison for war crimes.

In addition to Mustafa and Shala, the former president of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, the former head of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, Kadri Veseli, are also accused of war crimes, former member of the General Staff of the KLA, Rexhep Selimi, and former spokesman of the KLA, Jakup Krasniqi. The trial against them is ongoing.

Earlier, the former heads of the KLA Veterans Organization, Hysni Gucati and Nasim Haradinaj, were convicted by the Specialized Chambers in The Hague for obstructing the administration of justice, but then they were released on bail.

The Special Court investigates crimes allegedly committed by former KLA members against ethnic minorities and political rivals in the period January 1998 - December 2000. The Special Court is headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, but operates according to the laws of Kosovo./REL

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