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Shkruar nga Pamfleti
In their final statements, the former KLA leaders deny the charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity and demand a fair verdict from the trial panel.
Four former KLA leaders presented their final statements to the trial panel, contesting charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity and calling for a declaration of innocence.
Hashim Thaçi stated that at the beginning of 1998 he was a student in Switzerland and that he had no political or military plan. According to him, the responsibility for the violence and massacres in Kosovo lay with the regime of Slobodan Milošević.
Thaçi described his involvement in the KLA as a personal and moral decision. He stressed that he joined the resistance in Kosovo and denied that he had aimed to seize power. According to him, the KLA accepted international administration and disarmament after the war. He added that without NATO intervention, freedom and independence would not have been achieved, noting cooperation with the United States and Western countries. In conclusion, he asked the jury to rely on the evidence and declare his innocence.
Kadri Veseli stated that there is no evidence linking him to crimes. He said that he is aware of every action he took and that he acted in accordance with the law. Veseli demanded that the Court maintain impartiality and rely on facts. He emphasized that he joined the KLA for the freedom of Kosovo and for the right of citizens to live with dignity. According to him, justice can be delayed, but it cannot be denied.
Rexhep Selimi described the 5-year process as important for the accused and for the history of the country. He stated that the accusations against him and his comrades are unfounded. Selimi emphasized that he asks the Court to decide on the basis of evidence and to exercise impartial justice. He added that the KLA aimed to liberate the country and that his commitment was related to this objective.
Jakup Krasniqi considered his and others’ detention to be unjust. He stated that he had spent over five years in detention and that this period had violated his fundamental rights, including freedom and family life. Krasniqi stressed that his public engagement during the war demonstrated his opposition to Serbia’s repressive policies. He requested that the Court assess the evidence and make a fair decision.
In their statements, they emphasized that the Milosevic regime was responsible for the violence in Kosovo and that the KLA acted to protect the population and achieve freedom. Each of them asked the trial panel to declare them innocent based on the evidence presented during the trial.
Thaçi: The fact that we are alive was luck
Hashim Thaçi e hapi fjalën duke uruar qytetarët e Kosovës për 18-vjetorin e Pavarësisë. Ai theksoi se liria dhe pavarësia nuk kanë qenë mjet për pushtet, por për dinjitet. Thaçi deklaroi se akuzat e Prokurorisë janë të pavërteta dhe sqaroi se në fillim të vitit 1998 ndodhej si student në Zvicër, pa plane politike apo ushtarake. Sipas tij, përgjegjës për dhunën dhe masakrat ishte regjimi i Millosheviqit.
Ai tha se vendimi për t’iu bashkuar rezistencës ishte personal dhe moral dhe shprehu krenari për rolin e tij në UÇK, duke theksuar se nuk do të pendohej për mbrojtjen e popullit të tij. Thaçi deklaroi se pa ndërhyrjen e NATO-s nuk do të kishte liri dhe pavarësi për Kosovën dhe vuri në dukje bashkëpunimin me SHBA-në dhe vendet perëndimore. Ai mohoi pretendimet se UÇK-ja synonte pushtetin, duke rikujtuar se pas luftës u pranua administrimi ndërkombëtar dhe çarmatimi.
“Gjatë luftës nuk e dija nëse do të isha gjallë, prej orës në orë, prej ditës në ditë. Nuk isha i sigurt nëse do të shihja familjen time, gruan dhe djalin e porsalindur, e lëre më të ëndërroja të ushtroja kontroll në Kosovë, në Kosovën e pushtuar plotësisht nga Millosheviqi”, tha ai.
“Fakti që jemi gjallë ishte fat,” deklaroi Thaçi, duke shtuar se masivizimi i UÇK-së erdhi si pasojë e politikave të Millosheviqit dhe jo për shkak të tij.
“Kjo prokurori më ndau shumë grada, më lavdëroi. Nuk isha unë që e transportova rezistencën nga Perëndimi në Kosovë. Iu bashkova rezistencës në Kosovë. Nuk isha unë arsyeja pse UÇK-ja po mobilizohej, por ishte Millosheviqi. Ish-sekretarja Madeleine Albright e ka thënë më mirë: ‘Millosheviqi me sjelljet e tij ndaj popullit të Kosovës është rekrutuesi më i madh i UÇK-së. UÇK nuk ishte ushtri e një shteti, ishte organizim popullor që po mbrohej nga një shtet agresor’,” tha Thaçi.
Në fund, ai deklaroi se serbët dhe komunitetet e tjera në Kosovë ishin gjithashtu viktima të regjimit të Millosheviqit dhe se kishte bërë thirrje për paqe dhe bashkëjetesë. Ai i kërkoi trupit gjykues të mbështetet në prova, duke theksuar se “i vetmi vendim i drejtë është pafajësia e plotë”.
Veseli: Drejtësia vonon, por s’mund të mohohet
Kadri Veseli deklaroi se drejtësia mund të vonohet, por nuk mund të mohohet. Ai theksoi se është i bindur në pafajësinë e tij dhe se di qartë çfarë ka bërë dhe çfarë nuk ka bërë, duke shtuar se çdo veprim i tij ka qenë njerëzor dhe ligjor. Sipas tij, pas dekadash hetimesh nuk ekziston asnjë provë që e lidh me krime.
Veseli kërkoi nga Gjykata të ruajë paanësinë dhe të veprojë me drejtësi, duke theksuar se ky është një obligim ligjor dhe moral. Ai rikujtoi se iu bashkua UÇK-së me synimin për lirinë e Kosovës dhe për të drejtën e qytetarëve për të jetuar me dinjitet. Ai foli edhe për përvojën e persekutimit dhe jetesës nën kërcënim, duke shtuar se pavarësisht vështirësive nuk e ka humbur besimin në drejtësi.
“The creation of this court and its functioning is the result of a wide debate in my country. But what should come out of this is impartiality. I stand in this process with the conviction that the truth has no reason to fear justice. Justice may be delayed, but it is never denied. I have acted with this conviction and I know who I am, I know what I have done and what I have not done. My conscience is clear,” he said.
Selimi: The accusations are baseless and unfair
Rexhep Selimi stated that the charges against him and his comrades are unfounded and unjust. He emphasized that the five-year process has been important for both the accused and the history of Kosovo, and expressed the expectation that the trial panel will carefully assess the facts.
Selimi recalled his statement from April 2023 and said that the charges remain unfounded. He explained that he is not standing before the Court to defend himself personally, but to seek fair and impartial justice.
"For me, being a comrade-in-arms of Adem Jashari is the greatest honor. Yes, I carried weapons. Weapons for us were survival. Many of our comrades-in-arms died securing them. The KLA had no other goal than freedom. The KLA was a liberation army," Selimi said.
He emphasized that his only request is that the trial panel administer justice based on the evidence.
Krasniqi: Unjust detention
Jakup Krasniqi described his and his comrades' detention as unjust. He congratulated the citizens on the 18th anniversary of Independence and stated that he does not stand before the Court as a criminal, but as a man formed in the wars for human dignity.
Krasniqi said that over five years of detention have been unjust and unnecessary, violating fundamental rights, including freedom and family life. He stressed that he is in his 16th year of imprisonment out of 75 years of life, due to his commitment to the freedom and independence of Kosovo, and recalled his public appearance on June 11, 1998 in opposition to Serbia's policies.
"When the truth is told, there is simply no need for embellishment. It was this vision that guided the war," Krasniqi said.
In conclusion, the four defendants stressed that the Milosevic regime was responsible for the violence and massacres in Kosovo, while the KLA acted to protect the population and achieve freedom. Each asked the jury to rely on the evidence and reach a verdict of not guilty. /Pamphlet/
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