# Kosovo's ex-President Thaci gets 25 years for war crimes

> Hashim Thaci, once embraced by the West, was convicted of murder, torture and arbitrary detention during Kosovo's 1998-99 independence war.
- Title: Kosovo's ex-President Thaci gets 25 years for war crimes · NPR
- Summary: Hashim Thaci, once embraced by the West, was convicted of murder, torture and arbitrary detention during Kosovo's 1998-99 independence war. Former Kosovo…
- Keywords: hashim thaci, kosovo, war crimes, kosovo liberation army, kla, serbia, the hague, kosovo specialist chambers, pristina, independence war, 1998-99 war, charles smith
- Source: NPR — https://npr.org/2026/09/16/g-s1-143560/kosovo-former-president-war-crimes
- Published: 2026-09-16T00:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: hashim thaci, kosovo, war crimes, kosovo liberation army, kla, serbia, the hague, kosovo specialist chambers, pristina, independence war, 1998-99 war, charles smith
## 25 years for war crimes
Kosovo's former President Hashim Thaci was sentenced to 25 years in prison after being found guilty of war crimes during the 1998-99 independence war.
## Four counts of war crimes
Thaci was convicted of murder, torture, cruel treatment and arbitrary detention. He resigned from office nearly six years ago to face charges.
## From hero to convicted criminal
The verdict was a crushing blow for a man once embraced by the West, invited to 1999 peace talks in France and seen as the leader who could guide Kosovo.
## Judge cites ruthless leadership
Judge Charles Smith said Thaci actively participated in crimes and showed a ruthless ability to remove and eliminate political impediments to his leadership.

> showed a ruthless ability to remove and eliminate political impediments
## Anger erupts in Kosovo
Kosovo's foreign minister condemned the verdict as terrible. Thousands watched in Pristina, and masked protesters threw stones at the EU mission compound.

> a terrible judgment for Kosovo, for our people and for our liberation war
## Not about the KLA's legitimacy
Judge Smith stressed the trial was not about the legitimacy of the Kosovo Liberation Army or its goal of securing independence, but about personal responsibility.

> not about the legitimacy of the Kosovo Liberation Army
## Serbia sees anti-Serb bias
Serbia's President Vucic said he had no reason to rejoice and claimed the verdict ignored crimes against ethnic Serb civilians, showing anti-Serb bias.

> Serbs are always (war) criminals and others are liberators and heroes
## Three co-defendants also convicted
Three other former KLA leaders were convicted alongside Thaci. Kadri Veseli got 18 years, Rexhep Selimi 13 years, and Jakup Krasniqi 25 years.
## Targeting perceived collaborators
The court ruled Thaci and co-defendants targeted political opponents and civilians seen as collaborators. Having Serbian friends or jobs was enough to treat them as traitors.

> there is no indication that the victims in this case were spies or collaborators
## A war that killed 13,000
Most of the 13,000 who died in the war were ethnic Albanians. NATO airstrikes ended the fighting in 1999, after 1 million Kosovars were driven from their homes.
## Key takeaway

Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci was sentenced to 25 years for war crimes including murder and torture during the 1998-99 independence war from Serbia.