On 29 January 2026, the Court of Appeals Panel in the case of the Specialist Prosecutor v. Pjetër Shala, composed of Judges Michèle Picard, Kai Ambos and Nina Jørgensen, issued the first decision of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers (KSC) on an appeal against a reparation order.
The Appeals Panel affirmed the reparation order entered by the Trial Panel against Mr Shala following his conviction for the war crimes of arbitrary detention, torture and murder. A total of eight victims participated in the proceedings and claimed reparations. On 29 November 2024, the Trial Panel ordered Mr. Shala to pay a sum of 208,000 euros as compensation for the physical, mental and material harm suffered by the participating victims.
Mr Shala’s appeal was comprised of five grounds, alleging errors in the Trial Panel’s (i) interpretation of the law of causation in the context of reparation proceedings (Ground 1); (ii) assessment of the evidence in support of the alleged material harm suffered by the participating victims (Grounds 2 and 3); and (iii) assessment of his liability for reparations, resulting in an award allegedly disproportionate to his role in the commission of the crimes and excessive in light of his indigence (Ground 4). Mr Shala also alleged that the Trial Panel erred in holding reparation proceedings prior to the adjudication of his appeal against his conviction and sentence, and asked the Court of Appeals Panel to suspend hearing the appeal against the Reparation Order until the appeal against his conviction had been examined and all factual findings were final (Ground 5).
The Appeals Panel dismissed all five grounds, having found no error in the Trial Panel’s interpretation of the law or in its assessment of the evidence. The Appeals Panel further found that, owing to the completion of the appeal judgment on the merits issued on 14 July 2025 (Appeal Judgment), Mr Shala’s request to suspend hearing the appeal against the Reparation Order was moot. Noting that Mr Shala was able to lodge an appeal against the Reparation Order and that the Panel’s adjudication of his appeal follows its delivery of the Appeal Judgment, the Appeals Panel found that the reparation proceedings were neither prejudicial to Mr Shala, nor breached his right to fair and expeditious proceedings.
More information on the case can be found on the Pjetër Shala Case Page.