Cases

On 6 October 2023, Sabit Januzi and Ismet Bahtijari were transferred to the KSC Detention Unit, while Haxhi Shala was transferred on 12 December 2023. All three persons are charged with offences related to administration of justice. On 13 December 2023, the SPO submitted a request to join the cases of Januzi and Bahtijari (KSC-BC-2023-10) with the case involving Haxhi Shala (KSC-BC-2023-11). Subsequently, on 8 February 2024, the Pre-Trial Judge granted the SPO's request and decided to rename the joint case as the Specialist Prosecutor v. Sabit Januzi, Ismet Bahtijari and Haxhi Shala, with case number KSC-BC-2023-10. Following the plea agreements between the SPO and the three accused, Januzi, Bahtijari and Haxhi Shala pleaded guilty to counts 2 and 3 of the confirmed indictment on 18 and 19 December 2024. On 4 February 2025, the Trial Panel approved the plea agreements and imposed sentences: Haxhi Shala was sentenced to 3 years while Januzi and Bahtijari were each sentenced to 2 years. Furthermore, the accused agreed to pay the total sum of 500 Euros as reparations to the participating victim. On 19 February 2025, the KSC President Ekaterina Trendafilova decided to modify the sentences for Januzi and Bahtijari and provide for their release on 21 February 2025, under the conditions set forth in the decisions.

Pjetër Shala was allegedly a member of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) stationed in Kukёs, Albania. The alleged crimes with which Shala is charged took place between approximately 17 May 1999 and 5 June 1999 against persons detained at the Kukёs Metal Factory in Albania, allegedly used by the KLA. On 21 September 2022, the Pre-Trial Judge transmitted the case file to Trial Panel I. The trial commenced on 21 February 2023 and ended on 17 April 2024. The trial judgment was pronounced on 16 July 2024. The Trial Panel found P. Shala guilty of the war crimes of arbitrary detention, torture and murder and sentenced him to a prison sentence of 18 years, with credit for time served. On 2 September 2024, P. Shala filed his notice of appeal against the trial judgment. The reparation order in respect of victims was pronounced on 29 November 2024. The Panel ordered P. Shala to pay a sum of €208,000 as compensation for the physical, mental and material harm inflicted on the victims of the crimes for which he was convicted. The appeal judgment was pronounced on 14 July 2025. The Appeals Panel affirmed Shala’s conviction for the war crimes of arbitrary detention (count 1), torture (count 3), and murder (count 4). However, the Appeals Panel also granted in part three of the fourteen grounds raised by Shala in his appeal, dismissing the remaining grounds raised by Shala, and reducing his sentence from 18 to 13 years of imprisonment, with credit for time served. There are eight participating victims in this case.

The case involves four alleged former senior officials of the Kosovo Liberation Army: Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi. The indictment states that the crimes charged were committed from at least March 1998 through September 1999 and took place in several locations across Kosovo as well as in Kukës and Cahan, in Northern Albania. On 15 December 2022, the Pre-Trial Judge transmitted the case file to Trial Panel II. The trial, which is ongoing, commenced on 3 April 2023 with the opening statements of the Specialist Prosecutor and the Victims' Counsel, followed by the Defence teams on 4 and 5 April 2023. On 15 April 2025, the SPO closed its case. There are 157 participating victims in this case.