Kosovo's former President Hashim Thaci told judges at his war crimes trial in The Hague that justice cannot be served by prosecuting the innocent. Thaci and three other former Kosovo Liberation Army commanders face charges of persecution, murder, torture and forced disappearances during and after the 1998-99 uprising.

Thaci, 57, described prosecution allegations that he and his co-accused masterminded a violent campaign to win political control of Kosovo as "untrue, utterly absurd and deeply offensive." His defense team argues there is no evidence directly linking Thaci to alleged crimes and insufficient proof he controlled other KLA commanders. Prosecutors are seeking a 45-year prison sentence.

Last week, prosecutors detailed that more than 100 political opponents and perceived Serbian collaborators were killed in 1998 and 1999, with hundreds abused in approximately 50 detention camps run by the KLA. Thaci and co-defendants Jakup Krasniqi, Kadri Veseli and Rexhep Selimi were arrested in 2020 and sent to face trial at the special Kosovo war crimes court. The verdict is expected within three months.