Live update

Following the completion of the testimony of witness W03170, the Prosecution in the Thaçi et al. case called its 71st witness this afternoon. The new witness is Nuhi Bytyçi who is a journalist who covered the Kosovo War.

Protected witness W03170 resumed testimony this morning.

On 31 May 2024, the Judges of the Specialist Chamber of the Constitutional Court (SCCC) elected Judge Vidar Stensland as the Presiding Judge of the SCCC for another one-year term starting 1 June 2024.

This marks Judge Stensland's fourth term as the SCCC President. More information about Judge Stensland can be found on his page.

According to the SPO's summary presented in court, protected witness W03170 was an LDK member who was arrested together with another person. The summary reflects that during the transfer to one of the locations where they were detained, their hands were bound and they were threatened and beaten.

On 31 May 2024, the Specialist Chamber of the Constitutional Court delivered its judgment on a referral made by Nasim Haradinaj, who had alleged violations of his individual rights and freedoms in relation to the criminal proceedings against him before the Kosovo Specialist Chambers. In its judgment, the Constitutional Chamber declared part of his complaints inadmissible, and rejected the remainder, finding that there had been no violation of the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo or the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. 

See more details in our Press Release, and all the related filings for this referral are available in our Public Court Records.

Here is the transcript of today's KSC Weekly Press Briefing.

Following the completion of witness W01336's testimony, the trial in the Thaçi et al. case has adjourned for the day and the week. The proceedings will resume on Monday, 3 June, at 09:00.

Yesterday, witness Jan Kickert finished giving his testimony, and the SPO brought in another witness this morning, a protected witness with the pseudonym W01336. According to the SPO's summary presented in court, this witness was arrested in June 1999 by individuals wearing KLA armbands, and was subsequently detained and mistreated at two locations near Prishtinë/Priština. The following day, the witness, together with two other detainees, managed to escape and sought assistance from KFOR.

Another KSC weekly press briefing will take place on Thursday, 30 May, at 14:30. During this briefing, the KSC Spokespersons will provide a short update on the latest developments in the judicial proceedings before the KSC, as well as on other public activities of the Court. Journalists will have the opportunity to ask questions. Pre-registration is required to attend each briefing. To pre-register, please send an email with name and affiliation to [email protected]. Deadline for pre-registration is every Thursday at 12:00. The Zoom details will be shared following pre-registration. Recordings of the update provided during the Weekly Press Briefings will be made available on the KSC YouTube Channel.

Following up from the status conference in this case, held on 27 May, when the parties discussed the latest SPO’s notice regarding its witness list,  the Panel in the Thaçi et al. case issued a number of oral orders in court today.

Among other things, the Panel ordered the SPO to file a further notice about its witness list no later than 16 September 2024. Another status conference will then be scheduled to allow the parties to present their views on this matter.

Furthermore, the Panel ordered the SPO to submit a detailed plan (roadmap) by 21 June 2024 outlining how it intends to present its case by 1 April 2025. This plan, to be provided on an ex-parte basis to the Panel, should include information such as the list of witnesses, their order, and the time for the examination-of-chief for each witness. The Panel believes that such a roadmap should ensure that the case proceeds expeditiously.

The Defence is ordered to provide realistic estimates for cross-examinations within three working days of receiving information about the upcoming group of witnesses to be called by the SPO in the next three-week period. The Panel will review these estimates and, where necessary, impose time limits if there are inconsistencies between the Panel's estimates and those of the Defence.