• Thursday August 24, 2023 10:30

    Shala case: Defence Prep. Conference commences/scheduling change for tomorrow

    During the hearing today, the purpose of which is to prepare for the Defence case, the parties will go through the agenda items, set out by the Panel at the last hearing on 21 August, such as the Defence investigation, the witnesses to be called by the Defence and their order etc. As for tomorrow’s hearing, which will commence at 14:30 (and not at 09:30 as previously scheduled), the Panel expects to issue a number of oral orders and directions.

  • Wednesday August 23, 2023 15:30

    KSC Weekly Press Briefing on 24 August

    Another KSC weekly press briefing will take place on Thursday, 24 August, 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.

  • Monday August 21, 2023 17:30

    Termination of the investigation against Driton Lajçi

    On 18 August 2023, pursuant to Rule 47 of the Rules, the SPO filed a notification that the investigation against Driton Lajçi has been terminated. As can be seen in the public filings of this case, Driton Lajçi, former official of the Kosovo Ministry of Justice, became an SPO suspect in 2019 and this matter was connected to investigations and/or cases pertaining to core crimes falling within the jurisdiction of the Specialist Chambers. See below the chronology of the major developments in this case with hyperlinks to the filings, including the matters before the Specialist Chamber of the Constitutional Court (SCCC) and the KSC Ombudsperson:

    2019: Driton Lajçi became a suspect and was, as such, summoned for an interview by the SPO.

    Lajçi filed a referral before the SCCC alleging violation of his rights during the interview procedure with the SPO.

    2020: The SCCC declared the referral inadmissible because he had not yet been criminally charged and, accordingly, his referral was declared premature.

    2021: Single Judge denied the first application by Lajçi for an order directing the SPO to terminate the investigation against him. Later, the Court of Appeals rejected the Lajci’s appeal against that decision and agreed with the Single Judge’s finding that the investigation period did not contravene the “reasonable time” criterion under Rule 47 of the Rules;

    Lajçi filed a complaint with the KSC Ombudsperson alleging, inter alia, that the SPO’s procedures and overall treatment of him interfered with his fundamental right to a fair trial but the KSC Ombudsperson concluded that he lacked jurisdiction to consider the complaint and accordingly rejected it.

    2022 - 2023: Single Judge rejected the second application by Lajçi for an order directing the SPO to terminate the investigation against him. Lajçi filed an appeal against the decision but the Court of Appeals denied it and again agreed with the Single Judge’s finding that the investigation period did not contravene the “reasonable time” criterion under Rule 47 of the Rules;

    SPO files notification that its investigation against Lajçi is over.

  • Monday August 21, 2023 16:00

    Shala trial: Defence preparation conference on 24 August

    In its oral order today, the Trial Panel in the Shala case decided to convene the Defence preparation conference on Thursday, 24 August at 09:30. The Panel also specified a number of agenda items for the Conference, in relation to which the Defence, as well as other parties, are ordered to file written submissions by 23 August at 12:00. Today’s hearing is adjourned and the hearings, previously scheduled for 22 and 23 August, are cancelled.

  • Monday August 21, 2023 15:00

    Shala trial: modified court schedule for today (2)

    Following the completion of the testimony of the expert witnesses, called by the Victims’ counsel, the trial against Shala will be on a break until 14:40 (or until 15:25 in the delayed feed online).

  • Monday August 21, 2023 13:30

    Shala trial: modified court schedule for today

    After the current break (until 13:00 in the live feed or 13:45 in the delayed feed), the trial against Shala should resume with another full session (1,5 hour). Then, another 30-minute break will take place, after which the trial is expected to resume until 16:00 (16:45 in the delayed feed).

  • Monday August 21, 2023 10:30

    Shala trial: presentation of evidence by Victim’s Counsel begins

    Two expert witnesses have been called by the Victims’ Counsel in the Shala trial. A psychologist Karin Duhne-Prinsen and a psychiatrist dr Chayèn Lozano Parra from the Dutch Institute for Human Rights and Medical Assessment (Instituut voor Mensenrechten en Medisch Onderzoek) are testifying about the physical and mental harm of one of the participating victims in this case. They are testifying without protective measures but parts of their testimony may be in private session.