At the Specialist Chambers of Kosovo (SCK) in The Hague, on February 27, opening statements will be held in the trial of Hashim Thaci, Bashkim Smakaj, Isni Kilaj, Fadil Fazliu, and Hajredin Kuci. The session is scheduled to begin at 09:30 and conclude at 16:00, the Special Court announced.

The initial indictment against the five defendants was confirmed on November 29, 2024, and amended on April 16, 2025. This is the operative indictment in this case.

According to the confirmed indictment, between at least April 12, 2023, and November 2, 2023, during various unauthorized visits to the detention facility, Mr. Thaci provided Mr. Smakaj, Mr. Kilaj, Mr. Fazliu, and Mr. Kuci with confidential information about witnesses called by the Prosecution in the war crimes trial of Thaci and others, instructed them on how to influence the witnesses’ testimonies, and gave details on how to act.