Veterans of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) and many other citizens from Kosovo have begun gathering to depart for the Netherlands. They will participate in the September 14 protest to demand justice for the former KLA commanders who are being tried in The Hague.
With patriotic songs, clothes bearing liberation army motifs, and chants for justice, they gathered in Komoran – about 25 kilometers from Kosovo’s capital.
Seven buses are departing from Kosovo.
Albanians from the United States and various European countries will also travel to the Netherlands to take part in a mass protest expected to be held near the premises of the Special Court.
The Albanian diaspora has united in support of the former KLA commanders in an organized event on September 14 – one day before the hearing of the first defense witness begins.
The Special Court, which investigates alleged war crimes, is based in the Netherlands and operates with international staff, although it was established under Kosovo’s laws in 2015.
There, former Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi, former Speakers of Parliament Kadri Veseli and Jakup Krasniqi, as well as former MP Rexhep Selimi, are undergoing a lengthy judicial process at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers.
They are accused of alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. All have pleaded not guilty to all the charges brought against them by the Office of the Specialized Prosecutor.
The KLA Four have been held in detention in The Hague since November 2020, while their trial began in April 2023.
The prosecution closed its case in April of this year, while on September 15 the presentation of evidence by the defense teams will begin.
