The Kosovo War Veterans Organization (OVL-UÇK) has launched a national petition calling for a fair trial at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague, as reported by KosovaPress.
This petition is an open civic appeal in support of the Kosovo Liberation Army and its former leaders facing trial in The Hague, defending the values and dignity of the liberation struggle.
The petition will be conducted in cooperation with seven universities, including one in Tirana, one in Skopje, and one in Tetova.
The chairman of OVL-UÇK, Hysni Gucati, announced that the petition goes into effect today, available both online and in written form.
“We will never stop opposing the Specialist Chambers—not against justice, but against the injustice that is occurring. We have gained support from seven universities in Kosovo, one in Tirana, one in Skopje, and one in Tetova. We have prepared a national petition that goes into effect today, available online and on paper,” said Gucati.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Student Parliament at the University of Prizren, Riad Bislimaj, read the content of the petition.
“The forthcoming decision carries historical, legal, and political significance. As such, it will affect regional stability as well as the perception of justice and trust in international institutions. Therefore, we consider that the decision should be based exclusively on evidence and facts presented at trial. We demand full and unconditional respect for the fundamental rights of the accused, adherence to the Law on the Specialist Chambers adopted by the Kosovo Assembly, and full respect for the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo. This includes the immediate lifting of pre-trial detention, given the extraordinary duration of the process. We call for a rigorous, professional, and fully impartial assessment of evidence in accordance with international standards of admissibility. Immediate and complete exclusion of any evidence obtained or accepted from Serbian authorities is requested, as accepting such evidence poses a serious risk to the integrity of the process and violates the principles of impartiality and equality,” he said.
Xhavit Jashari stated that the prosecution’s main target is the Kosovo Liberation Army itself, not only the four individuals currently on trial in The Hague.
He urged every citizen, institution, and political party to sign the petition.
“We consider that this is not only about the four individuals; the prosecution’s main target is the KLA. We saw even during the closing arguments how often the KLA was mentioned within the short timeframe, and we still do not have trust in the prosecution. This time, I want to separate the court from the prosecution, because the request for 45 years, besides being absurd, we have said is also political. Through this petition, I invite everyone to sign. The war is a value for every citizen; we also call on institutions and political parties to contribute. I will distribute this also to European countries,” said Jashari.
According to the petition, the decision must be based on evidence and facts presented at trial.
It calls for full and unconditional respect for the fundamental rights of the accused, adherence to the Law on the Specialist Chambers adopted by the Kosovo Assembly, and full respect for the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo. This also includes the immediate lifting of pre-trial detention and the immediate and complete exclusion of any evidence obtained or accepted from Serbian authorities.
