Former leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), Rexhep Selimi, said that the history of Kosovo cannot be rewritten, especially not in a courtroom. In his closing statement before the court in The Hague, he said the KLA was not created out of desire, but out of necessity after Serbian massacres, and that the weapons they carried were for survival, KosovaPress reports.
He stated that none of the claims by the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office hold and that the indictment is completely unfounded
“I hope the court has had enough time to understand that our war was just and that the prosecution’s claims do not hold… In my statement in this courtroom in April 2023, when this process had just begun, I said I was facing an unfounded indictment. Today, after this entire journey, the course of the trial has proven me right. The charges against us are unfounded and unjust. I did not come here today to defend myself, as my lawyers have done that, nor to show you justice, since you know it best. I am asking you to uphold it — justice,” he said.
Selimi said that in the face of occupation and Serbian genocide, they had no other choice but to defend themselves.
“The Liberation War cannot be equated with the murderous state of Serbia. To equate the resistance of an oppressed people with a criminal plan is to place the resistance of the oppressed on the same level as the oppressor’s project. This comparison is not only inaccurate, it is also unjust. Attempting to interfere with the historical facts through false charges and claims is an attempt to rewrite history. The history of Kosovo cannot be rewritten, much less in a courtroom. The history of Kosovo has been written at the cost of the sacrifice of its citizens, freedom fighters, and national martyrs,” he said.
Referring to some of the Specialist Chambers’ claims, he said that being a fellow fighter with the legendary commander Adem Jashari is the highest honor.
“Serbia never hid its intentions toward Albanians. So I ask again: what were we supposed to do? Wait our turn to be killed? Flee from our country and homes? Never, never. That is why we had to resist. That is why I believe Kosovo needed self-defense and needed people willing to give even their lives for their country. It needed someone like Adem Jashari and the KLA. That is why I joined Adem Jashari. The KLA was not created out of desire, but out of necessity. It was a response to systematic violence and violation of dignity. It was not an adventure, but survival… The prosecution strangely and misleadingly describes me as someone close to Adem Jashari and as an organizer who commanded respect. It is unclear whether this is meant as a charge or an assessment. For me, being a fellow fighter with Adem Jashari is the greatest honor I could have. I also consider it an honor to be described as one of the founders of the KLA… Yes, I carried weapons. The weapons were for our survival. Many of our fellow fighters died securing them. We requested weapons from many friendly countries, including the United States. The KLA had no other purpose than freedom,” he said.
He added that he is confident justice will return him, along with Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veseli, and Jakup Krasniqi, to their homeland.
“The timing of my return to Kosovo now depends on your decision, but the prosecution should have understood that whenever I return, I will return to a free Kosovo, for which I am proud to have stood up at the right time, and for whose freedom I have been and remain ready to give my life whenever required,” he concluded.
On February 9 of this year, the closing statements began at the Specialist Chambers in the case of former KLA leaders. This marks the final phase of the largest judicial process at the Specialist Chambers of Kosovo in The Hague. The defense teams of Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi, and Jakup Krasniqi have requested that they be declared not guilty on all counts of the indictment.
They have stated before the court that there is no evidence supporting the claims of the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office regarding war crimes. Specialist Chief Prosecutor Kimberly West has requested a 45-year prison sentence for each of the former KLA leaders.
Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veseli, Jakup Krasniqi, and Rexhep Selimi are facing charges brought by the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office, which they have deemed unfounded. The defense has also rejected these charges, arguing that the KLA did not have an organized command structure.
The trial against them began on April 3, 2023—almost three years after the indictment was confirmed. The former KLA leaders have been held at the detention center in The Hague since November 2020.
