The Special Court in The Hague confirmed on Friday the filing of a new indictment against the former president of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, as well as against four other persons for criminal offenses related to “allegations of illegal attempts to influence the testimony of witnesses in trial of the war crimes of Thaçi and others”.
In a press release, the Specialized Chambers of Kosovo said that the indictment was confirmed against Hashim Thaçi, the former Minister of Justice, Hajredin Kuçi, the former head of the Kosovo Intelligence Agency, Bashkim Smakaj, the former mayor of Malisheva, Isni Kilaj, and Fadil Fazliut.
Smakaj, Fazliu and Kilaj were arrested on December 5 in Kosovo and taken to the Specialized Chambers detention building in The Hague on December 6, the court said.
The court added that Hajredin Kuçi was handed the confirmed indictment and the summons to appear before the judge of the preliminary procedure, based on the confirmed indictment.
Thaçi who is being tried by this court in a separate case against former KLA leaders for war crimes and crimes against humanity – is accused of coordinating “three separate groups” along with Smakaj, Kilaj, Kuçi and Fazliu to influence the testimony of prosecution witnesses in the case against him and others for war crimes.
“At least between April 12, 2023 and November 2, 2023, during non-privileged visits to the detention facility, Mr. Thaçi gave Mr. Smakaj, Mr. Kilaj, Mr. Fazliu and Mr. Kuçi confidential information about ZPS witnesses, instructions to influence the testimony of ZPS witnesses and details of how they were to do this,” the indictment states.
The new indictment against Thaçi and others a day after the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office announced on Thursday that it was conducting ongoing operations in Kosovo in connection with the investigations it is conducting for criminal offenses against obstruction of justice.
In the new indictment, Thaçi is charged with three charges of attempting to obstruct official persons in the performance of official duties, by participating in the joint action of a group; four charges of breaching the confidentiality of proceedings, and four charges of disobeying the court.
