Tens of thousands of people marched through Kosovo's capital on Tuesday, protesting the war crimes trial of the country's former president and other former guerrillas.
The rally, held on the country's Independence Day, came ahead of the final hearing in the trial of former president and political leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), Hashim Thaçi, along with three senior figures from the rebel movement, AFP wrote about today's protest in Pristina, which was later broadcast by France's state radio, RFI, as well as France 24, Gazeta Express reports.
Waving red flags emblazoned with the yellow and black KLA emblem, crowds chanted the name of the paramilitary force as they marched through Pristina's city center.
Aerial images broadcast by local media showed protesters filling the main square and several surrounding streets. AFP journalists in the crowd estimated there were tens of thousands.
Organizers, who are members of Thaçi's political party, said they expected participation to reach over 200,000, with President Vjosa Osmani also joining the march.
The trial of Thaçi and other defendants before the Kosovo Specialist Chambers (KSCC) in The Hague has been hearing closing arguments for more than a week — the final stage before issuing a verdict.
The four face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, for their alleged responsibility for murders, torture and other abuses committed by members of the Kosovo Liberation Army during the 1990s war.
The prosecutor is seeking a sentence of 45 years in prison for each.
'Our heroes'
But the trial of the men, who are still seen by many in Kosovo as war heroes, has sparked fierce reactions.
"They are our heroes. They should be released because Kosovo still needs them," architecture student Daut Hasani told AFP at the rally.
Ragip Ramadani, a pensioner who went to the protest from his home in the southern town of Dragash, said the court was not conducting a fair trial.
"It only prosecutes Albanians, but not those who committed the most serious crimes during the war," said the 65-year-old.
Earlier, Prime Minister Albin Kurti mentioned the defendants in a speech marking the 18th anniversary of independence, noting that "the contribution of each of them to freedom and independence is precious."
"History will be the one that will give the right judgment," Kurti said.
Serbia's role
The evidence provided by Serbia, which has never recognized Kosovo's independence, is particularly sensitive because of the scale of atrocities committed by Serbian police and military during the 1998-1999 conflict.
Thousands of ethnic Albanian victims were discovered in mass graves after the war, and a special court has convicted several former Serbian military and police officers of war crimes.
But the indictment against Thaçi and other defendants alleges that members of the Kosovo Liberation Army also committed crimes against hundreds of civilians and non-combatants in detention centers in Kosovo and northern Albania, AFP further writes.
The victims, it said, included Serbs, Roma and Kosovo Albanians considered political opponents.
Established by the country's parliament, the Specialist Chambers investigate and prosecute suspected war crimes committed by ethnic Albanian guerrillas during the war.
Although part of Kosovo's judicial system, it is physically located in The Hague and is staffed only by international judges in an effort to protect witnesses from potential retaliation in the country.
Final statements from the accused, including Thaçi, are scheduled for Wednesday.
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