17/09/2026 President
“I welcome yesterday’s important judgment by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in the case of Hashim Thaçi and his co-defendants, who have all been convicted at first instance of war crimes including arbitrary detention, cruel treatment, torture and murder committed during the Kosovo* conflict,” said PACE President Petra Bayr. “It is a long-awaited outcome of the process initiated by the 2011 report of the late Senator Dick Marty and the Assembly’s resolution of the same year.”
I commend the patient and determined work of the many investigators, prosecutors and judges who have contributed, over many years, to holding those responsible to account.
This judgment is a step forward for both the principle and the practice of international justice, at a time when it faces serious challenges. We hope that it will bring a measure of closure to the families of the victims and contribute to reconciliation in the region.”