• Wednesday August 30, 2023 10:00

    Pjetër Shala: Constitutional Court dismisses the latest referral re. fundamental rights violations

    On 29 August 2023, the Specialist Chamber of the Constitutional Court (SCCC), composed of Judges Vidar Stensland, Roumen Nenkov and Romina Incutti, issued its decision on the latest referral by Pjetër Shala alleging violations of his fundamental rights, filed on 10 July this year. The Panel found the referral premature and therefore declared it inadmissible pursuant to Article 113(7) of the Constitution, Article 49(3) of the Law and Rule 14(f) of the Rules of Procedure for the SCCC. Here is the Panel's decision.

    The direct links to all SCCC’s decisions on Shala’s referrals (3 so far) can be found on the case page.

  • Tuesday August 29, 2023 13:45

    Thaçi et al. trial: the 19th SPO witness takes the stand

    A new protected witness (with the pseudonym W04566) has commenced testimony in the trial of Thaçi and others. According to the short summary, read in court by the SPO, the testimony of this witness will be about an alleged detention and disappearance of the witness’ family member in Drenoc/Drenovac. As was the case for the previous witness (W03832), whose testimony concluded earlier today, the testimony of the new witness is also expected to take place mostly in private session.

  • Monday August 28, 2023 10:30

    Thaçi et al: 18th SPO witness begins testimony

    Protected witness W03832 has commenced testimony this morning in the trial against Thaçi, Veseli, Selimi and Krasniqi. The testimony of this witness is expected to take place mostly in private session.

  • Friday August 25, 2023 16:15

    Shala case: today’s hearing adjourned/Defence case starts in the week of 18 September

    During the second day of the Defence Preparation Conference in the Shala case today, Trial Panel I issued a number of directions and oral orders organising the presentation of evidence by the Defence. Below are some of them:

    • Referring to Rule 137 (relevancy of evidence) as well as Rule 143(4), which speaks about effectiveness and the avoidance of undue consumption of time and resources,  the Panel ordered the Defence to remove five names from its witness list. Accordingly, the Defence is to file its revised list of witnesses by 29 August 2023.

    • The Panel allocated 40,5 hours to the Defence to present its case. The SPO is allocated the same amount of time as effectively used by the Defence for the cross-examination of each Defence witness while the Victims’ Counsel will have 25% of the time effectively used by the Defence.

    • The Panel announced that the Defence case will open in the week of 18 September and the exact date will be communicated in due course.

  • 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.