Live update

Please be informed that this week’s press briefing will, exceptionally, take place today at 15:00 instead of 14:30.

Recordings of the updates provided during the weekly press briefings will be made available on the KSC YouTube channel.

A public redacted version of the latest request for protection of legality submitted by Pjetër Shala before the Supreme Court was filed on 18 May 2026.
This public filing was made pursuant to the Supreme Court Panel’s order of 11 May 2026, which also directed the Victims’ Counsel to file any response to the request by 26 May 2026, and Shala to file any reply thereto by 5 June 2026.
As noted in an earlier post, this latest request for protection of legality follows the Appeals Panel decision denying the Defence appeal against the Reparation Order.

In a decision issued on 19 May 2026, the Judges of the Specialist Chamber of the Constitutional Court (SCCC), in accordance with the Rules of Procedure for the SCCC, decided to elect Judge Vidar Stensland as Presiding Judge of the SCCC for a term of one year commencing on 1 June 2026.

In line with the Single Trial Judge’s order of 29 April 2026, the Defence teams for Thaçi, Smakaj, Kilaj, Fazliu and Kuçi filed notifications pursuant to Rule 131 concerning the closure of their cases. The notifications are available here.

In its latest detention review decision of 15 May 2026, the Trial Panel in the Thaçi et al. case ordered the continued detention of Kadri Veseli and Jakup Krasniqi. The Panel found that the risks that the accused may obstruct the progress of the proceedings or commit further offences continue to exist.

The transcript of the KSC Weekly Press Briefing on 14/05/2026 is now available.

Following the completion of cross-examination by the SPO, re-examination by the Thaçi Defence, and questioning by the Single Trial Judge, Thaçi Defence witness Professor Helen Fraser concluded her testimony today. The trial then adjourned for the day, while the remaining hearing days scheduled for this week are vacated.
Judge Gosnell also reminded the parties of the deadlines established in his earlier decision, including for the Defence to file notices concerning the closure of their cases and for the SPO to indicate whether it intends to present any rebuttal, by 14 and 15 May 2026, respectively.

Thaçi Defence witness Professor Helen Fraser resumed her testimony this morning with continued cross-examination by the SPO, which commenced yesterday. Prior to that, the witness was questioned by the Thaçi and Fazliu Defence teams.

As informed by the Single Trial Judge, the trial hearing will break for lunch from 12:00 to 13:30 (12:45 to 14:15 in the online stream), after which the hearing is expected to resume with two further sessions until 16:00.

The Defence case started this morning with the testimony of a witness called by the Defence for Hashim Thaçi. The witness, Professor Helen Fraser (DHT-03), appeared as an expert witness in the field of forensic transcription.