STORY: Thousands of war veterans and supporters gathered in Pristina on Thursday (August 7) to protest the trial of former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci and three ex-high-ranking commanders of Kosovo’s Liberation Army (KLA).

The four men are on trial at a special court in The Hague on charges of war crimes allegedly committed during the 1998-99 insurgency, which ultimately paved the way for Kosovo’s independence from Serbia—earning them the status of heroes in the eyes of many Kosovars.

Supporters of Thaci carried his photo with the word “Justice,” and chanted his name while waving KLA flags.

In 2020, Thaci was indicted by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers on ten counts, including war crimes and crimes against humanity. The charges encompass persecution, murder, torture, and forced disappearances, even after hostilities had ended.

Naxhije Pajaziti Arifaj, a protester from Pristina, said, “Kosovo today, the freedom today, is because of our liberators. We all have to go out and protest until they are released.”

It is believed that over 13,000 people, mostly members of Kosovo’s predominantly ethnic Albanian population, lost their lives during the insurgency – a turbulent period when Kosovo was still a province under the rule of Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic.

The trial is being conducted by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, a court seated in the Netherlands and staffed by international judges and lawyers, established in 2015 to handle cases against ex-KLA members under Kosovo law.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: SUPPORTERS HOLDING FLAG OF FORMER KOSOVO LIBERATION ARMY (KLA)/ COMMENTS FROM PROTESTERS

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: PRISTINA, KOSOVO (AUGUST 7, 2025) (REUTERS-Access all)

1. PEOPLE WAVING FLAGS

2. SUPPORTER HOLDING FLAG OF FORMER KOSOVO LIBERATION ARMY (KLA)

3. SUPPORTER CHANTING NAME OF FORMER PRESIDENT HASHIM THACI

4. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS HOLDING A BANNER WITH KLA LOGO

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Albanian) PROTESTER FROM PRISTINA, NAXHIJE PAJAZITI ARIFAJ, SAYING:

“I think they should be released. Kosovo today, the freedom today, is because of our liberators. We all have to go out and protest until they are released.”

6. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS HOLDING KLA, KOSOVO AND USA FLAGS

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Albanian) ARTIST FROM PRISTINA, AVDULLAH XHIKOKAJ, SAYING:

“We are here symbolically to tell them (the court) that they should not be called in the name of the people of Kosovo when they punish or indict our liberators. No, this court is not ours. Between 70 and 80 percent all charges are fabricated by the state of Serbia.”

8. (SOUNDBITE) (Albanian) MOVIE DIRECTOR, EKREM XANI, SAYING:

“I think the strategy of the special court and other supporters that are helping the court it is to equalise the crime with the victim for the time of war in Kosovo.”

9. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS HOLDING FLAGS AND PHOTOS OF THACI

10. PROTESTERS CHANTING (Albanian): “HEY HASHIM WHERE ARE YOU, ALL KOSOVO IS WITH YOU.”

11. BANNER WITH PHOTO OF THACI READING (Albanian): "JUSTICE"

12. PLACARD READING (Albanian) "SPECIAL COURT, SPECIAL INJUSTICE"

13. BANNER WITH PHOTO OF THACI READING (Albanian): "JUSTICE"

14. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS HOLDING KLA, ALBANIA AND USA FLAGS

15. SUPPORTERS CHANTING (Albanian): UCK, UCK meaning (English):(KLA, KLA)

16. PROTESTER LOOKING ON