War crimes trial of Kosovo’s former president opens

Hashim Thaci appears before the Kosovo Tribunal (Pool via AP)

Kosovo’s former president has pleaded not guilty to charges including murder, torture and persecution as he went on trial with three other ex-leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA).

Hashim Thaci resigned from office in 2020 to defend himself against the charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes committed during his country’s 1998-99 war for independence from Serbia.