Sentenced to four and a half years in prison, Haradinaj makes the important decision

Nasim Haradinaj's defense team confirmed to reporters that it would appeal the sentencing verdict handed down on May 18 by The Hague Specialized Chambers.

The deputy head of the Organization of Veterans of the Kosovo Liberation Army (OVL-KLA), Nasim Haradinaj, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison on charges of obstructing the administration of justice. The president of this organization, Hysni Gucati, was sentenced to the same sentence.

"We are waiting for the sentence to be reduced," said Haradinaj's lawyer, Toby Cadman, adding that the defense's position is that Haradinaj be sentenced as long as he is in custody.

Haradinaj and Gucati were arrested on September 5, 2020 and have been in the Hague detention center ever since.

Haradinaj's lawyer said he expects the trial panel to independently consider their request and reduce the sentence for his client.

According to the laws, the parties have the right to appeal the decision to the Court of Appeals in The Hague, which operates under the laws of Kosovo, within 30 days from the imposition of the sentencing decision.

During the sentencing, the court argued that Gucati and Haradinaj had threatened the protected and eventual witnesses, publishing their information and classified Special documents.

Gucati and Haradinaj were arrested in September 2020, following suspicions that several press conferences at the OVL-KLA headquarters in Pristina had distributed classified documents of the Specialized Chambers, also known as the Special Court.

Në aktakuzë thuhet se këto dokumente, kopje të së cilave u janë shpërndarë gazetarëve në tri konferenca për media, kanë pasur edhe emra të dëshmitarëve potencialë, të cilët mund të dëshmonin kundër ish-krerëve të UÇK-së, përfshirë edhe në rastin kundër ish-presidentit, Hashim Thaçi, ish-kryetarëve të Kuvendit, Kadri Veseli dhe Jakup Krasniqi, dhe ish-deputetit të Lëvizjes Vetëvendosje, Rexhep Selimi, të cilët akuzohen për krime lufte dhe krime kundër njerëzimit.

Dhomat e Specializuara dhe Zyra e Prokurorit të Specializuar – që ndryshe njihen edhe si Gjykata Speciale – hetojnë krimet e pretenduara të pjesëtarëve të Ushtrisë Çlirimtare të Kosovës, të kryera kundër pakicave etnike dhe rivalëve politikë që nga janari i vitit 1998 deri në dhjetor të vitit 2000.

These alleged crimes are mentioned in a 2011 Council of Europe report authored by Swiss Senator Dick Marty.