Kosovo's ex-president Thaci jailed for 25 years for war crimes

Former Kosovo president Hashim Thaci sits in court as he appears on charges of war crimes before the Kosovo Tribunal in The Hague on April 3, 2023 . [AFP] Kosovo's former president Hashim Thaci was sentenced to 25 years by a tribunal in The Hague on Wednesday for war crimes, the court said in a long-awaited verdict likely to spark outrage in the Balkan country. The judges said Thaci, who was tried along with three other former guerrilla leaders, was guilty of illegal arrests, torture, murder and cruel treatment committed by guerrilla fighters. In Kosovo's capital, a large crowd gathered to watch live on large screens the sentencing of a man many revere as a hero. As the decision was delivered, the crowd fell silent, with many appearing to be shocked by the decision -- after weeks of preparation by his supporters for his possible acquittal.