Live update

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

Another KSC weekly press briefing will take place on Thursday, 27 June, 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.

After the completion of the testimony of the SPO witness W04846, the trial in the Thaçi et al. case has adjourned for the day and the week. The hearing planned for tomorrow, 27 June, is cancelled. The proceedings will continue on Monday, 1 July, at 10:00.

After witness Kurtesh Fondaj finished testifying, the SPO called a new witness. This is a protected witness with the pseudonym W04846. 

Please note the Panel’s decision from 19 June in relation to the testimony of this witness here.

Following the witness's discussions with the KSC Registry, the Panel in the Thaçi et al. case announced that they denied the witness's request for a lawyer. The Panel clarified that a witness is provided with a lawyer only if there are concerns about self-incrimination, which was not the case here since no one claimed that the witness committed a crime or provided any incriminating answers. The panel also informed the witness that, according to the KSC Rules, the judges can ask a witness any question at any time during the proceedings.

The testimony of this witness now resumes with the questions of the Panel.

At the start of the hearing this morning, witness Kurtesh Fondaj requested legal assistance, citing yesterday's examination by the Panel as the reason. The Panel is reviewing the request, and the trial is currently on a break until approximately 10:00 (10:45 in the delayed feed online).

Former KLA member in the Pashtrik Operational Zone Kurtesh Fondaj continued his testimony that began yesterday.

The new witness for the prosecution is Kurtesh Fondaj. As per the summary provided by the SPO in court, Fondaj is a former soldier of the KLA in the Pashtrik Operational Zone. This is 73rd Prosecution witness in court.

On 20 June 2024, Pre-Trial Judge Marjorie Masselot granted the Januzi Defence's request for an extension of time, and ordered all Defence Teams to submit their Pre-Trial Briefs, if any, within seven days after the issuance of the pending decision on the SPO’s request to amend the indictment. Judge Masselot also set a new tentative date for transmitting the case file, which is currently set for 5 July, to fourteen days after the said decision is issued. 

Please note that this is the second extension of the initial deadline, following another request by the Bahtijari Defence granted on 6 June. See our post about that here.

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