Live update

The testimony of Nuredin Abazi, the 59th witness for the Prosecution, was resumed this morning.

Following the completion of the testimony of the 58th witness, the next SPO witness commenced his testimony.

This Prosecution witness is Nuredin Abazi, who was, according to the summary presented by the SPO in court, a member of a KLA battalion in Budakovo, later serving as a legal adviser in Pashtrik zone.

This morning, the SPO called its 58th witness. This is a protected witness with the pseudonym W03877.

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

Following the completion of the SPO's 57th witness testimony, the trial in the Thaçi et al. case has adjourned for the day and the week. This trial will resume on Monday, 29 April, at 09:00.

The next witness for the Prosecution is W02951, and this testimony will be entirely in a closed session.

Another KSC weekly press briefing will take place on Thursday, 25 April, 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.

On 24 April 2024, the Specialist Chamber of the Constitutional Court (SCCC), consisting of Judges Vidar Stensland, Roumen Nenkov, and Romina Incutti, issued their decision on the referral by Januzi, Bahtijari, and H. Shala regarding the constitutional validity of the Legal Aid Regulations of the Specialist Chambers, filed on 3 April this year. In accordance with Article 113(7) of the Constitution, Article 49(3) of the Law, and Rule 14(f) of the SCCC Rules, the Panel declared the referral inadmissible as the Kosovo Constitution and the Law do not authorize individuals to raise questions of constitutional compatibility of laws before the Chamber.

Because the Referral was found to be inadmissible, the Panel rejected the request by the Association of Defence Counsel Practicing Before the International Courts and Tribunals to appear as amicus curiae (“a friend of the court”), as well as Isni Kilaj's request to join the Referral. More details in the full decision.

On 19 April 2024, Judge Guillou granted the Bahtijari Defence's second extension request, setting a new deadline of 29 April for them to finalize and submit the required documents for the KSC legal aid request. This extension, like the previous one, was granted by Judge Guillou on the basis of an established good cause.

Following the completion of the testimony of the 56th witness, W04850, today's hearing has adjourned. The trial will resume tomorrow at 09:00 with the testimony of a new witness.