Pjetër Shala

16/03/2021

Shala arrested in Belgium.

15/04/2021

Transferred to the Detention Unit of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers.

19/04/2021

Initial appearance before the Pre-Trial Judge, Nicolas Guillou; pleaded not guilty to all counts.

15/12/2021

First decision on victims’ applications issued: one victim admitted to participate in the proceedings.

11/08/2022

Second decision on victims’ participation; one additional victim admitted.

19/09/2022

Third decision on victims’ participation: six further victims admitted.

24/02/2023

Panel's decision varying deadline: victim applications permitted until closing of the SPO case.

14/04/2023

SPO pre-trial brief – public redacted version filed.

21/04/2023

Defence pre-trial brief – public redacted version filed.

21/09/2022

Case file transmitted to Trial Panel I.

18–20/10/2022

Trial preparation conference held; the 20 October session was closed and ex parte.

21-22/02/2023

Trial started with opening statements of Prosecution, Victims’ Counsel and Defence.

06/07/2023

Prosecution closed its case.

21/08/2023

Victims’ Counsel presented evidence.

24–25/08/2023

Defence preparation conference held.

15/09/2023

Panel denied Defence motion to dismiss the murder charge (count 4) pursuant to Rule 130.

20/09/2023

Defence case commenced.

15/01/2024

Defence closed its case.

24/01/2024

Panel admitted additional evidence under Rule 132 (documents concerning the accused’s criminal record, relevant to sentence determination in case of conviction).

09/02/2024

Evidentiary proceedings closed.

25-26/03/2024

Prosecution and Defence filed their final trial briefs. 

15–17/04/2024

Closing statements held.

16/07/2024

Trial judgment pronounced: Shala found guilty of the war crimes of arbitrary detention, torture and murder; sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment.

29/11/2024

Reparation order issued: Shala ordered to pay €208,000 in compensation to victims.

Trial Panel composition

Judges Mappie Veldt-Foglia (presiding), Roland Dekkers, Gilbert Bitti and Vladimir Mikula (reserve judge)

Specialist Prosecutor's Office

Filippo De Minicis, Gaia Pergolo, Eva Wyler

Defence Counsel

Jean-Louis Gilissen (counsel), Mohamed Hédi Aouini, Leto Cariolou (co-counsels)

Victims' Counsel

Simon Laws (counsel), Maria Radziejowska (co-counsel)

Number of participating victims

8

Number of trial days in court

44

Number of witnesses in court

10 (SPO), 2 (Victims' counsel), 10 (Defence)

Number of written testimonies/reports

7 (SPO), 4 (Defence)

Pre-trial period length

22 months 6 days

Detention review decisions (total)

17

Trial judgment deliberation phase length (between the end of trial until the pronouncement of trial judgment)

3 months

Total time before Basic Court (from transfer to the KSC until the trial judgment)

39 months

02/09/2024

Shala’s Defence filed (confidentially) its notice of appeal against the trial judgment. Public redacted version filed on 11/10/2024.

20/09/2024

Pre-Appeal Conference held.

30/10/2024

Corrected revised notice of appeal filed; public redacted version filed on 31/10/2024.

26/11/2024

Defence’s corrected appeal brief filed; public redacted version filed on 13/01/2025.

15–16/05/2025

Appeal hearing on trial judgment held.

14/07/2025

Appeal judgment pronounced. Appeals Panel:

• Affirmed Shala’s convictions for war crimes of arbitrary detention (count 1), torture (count 3), and murder (count 4);

• Granted in part three of fourteen grounds raised by Shala; reduced the sentence from 18 to 13 years’ imprisonment, with credit for time served.

— Separate Appeal Concerning Reparation Order —

28/01/2025

Defence filed notice of appeal against the Reparation Order of 29/11/2024.

19/03/2025

Defence filed corrected appeal brief against the Reparation Order; public redacted version filed on 26/03/2025.

Court of Appeals Panel composition

Judges Michèle Picard (Presiding), Kai Ambos and Nina Jørgensen

Specialist Prosecutor's Office

Filippo De Minicis, Sarah Clanton

Defence Counsel

Jean-Louis Gilissen (counsel), Mohamed Hédi Aouini, Leto Cariolou (co-counsels)

Victims' Counsel

Simon Laws (counsel), Maria Radziejowska (co-counsel)

Appeal judgment deliberation phase (from the parties' last submissions until the pronouncement of the appeal judgement)

1 month and 21 days

Appeal case length (the period between the filing of the notices of appeal untill the pronunciation of the appeal judgment)

10 months and 13 days

14/04/2022

Shala filed a referral pursuant to Article 49(3) of the Law alleging violations of his fundamental rights in relation to criminal proceedings against him before the KSC. 

06/07/2022

Specialist Chamber of the Constitutional Court declared the referral inadmissible, finding it did not disclose any appearance of a violation of Shala's fundamental rights.

19/07/2022

Shala filed a referral pursuant to Article 49(3) of the Law, alleging violations of his fundamental rights in relation to decisions of the KSC Single Judge. 

22/08/2022

Specialist Chamber of the Constitutional Court found the referral premature and therefore rejected it as inadmissible. 

10/07/2023

Shala filed a referral pursuant to Article 49(3) of the Law, alleging violations of his fundamental rights in relation to decisions of the KSC Trial Panel.

29/08/2023

Specialist Chamber of the Constitutional Court found the referral premature and therefore rejected it as inadmissible. 

Constitutional Court Panel 

Judges Vidar Stensland (presiding), Roumen Nenkov and Romina Incutti

Specialist Prosecutor's Office

Filippo De Minicis, Sarah Clanton

Defence Counsel

Jean-Louis Gilissen (counsel), Mohamed Hédi Aouini, Leto Cariolou (co-counsels)