Police clash with Kosovo protesters over bid to curb Hague war crimes court

The political dispute over the court has become a factor in negotiations to hold a new presidential election.

A demonstrator in Pristina, Kosovo, throws tear gas canisters back towards riot police during a protest against the war crimes convictions on October 5 [Valdrin Xhemaj/Reuters]

Police have clashed with protesters outside Kosovo’s Parliament over plans to limit the powers of a Hague-based war crimes court.

The violence broke out on Monday evening after Parliament ended its session without passing the proposed changes, which concerned the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, a court dedicated to crimes committed during the Kosovo War from 1998 to 2000.

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Founded in 2015, the court is an independent part of Kosovo’s judicial system, based in The Hague and staffed internationally.

Critics, however, have accused the court’s verdicts of being overly punitive. The amendments before Parliament would limit sentences to 15 years, allow sentences to be served in Kosovo and permit appeals to the self-declared republic’s Supreme Court.

The changes passed a first reading earlier on Monday, but Parliament adjourned before a second vote could be held.

Flames rise during a protest against the war crimes convictions of former KLA leaders in Pristina, Kosovo, on October 5 [Valdrin Xhemaj/Reuters]

Several hundred protesters had gathered outside the Parliament building in Pristina, including supporters and veterans of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), the ethnic Albanian rebel force that fought Serbian troops in the war.

Some tried to block lawmakers from leaving after the session ended. Police used tear gas and water cannons in an attempt to disperse the protesters, some of whom threw flares and firecrackers.

Naser Syla, the emergency director at a hospital in Pristina, told The Associated Press news agency that 12 people were injured, including 11 civilians.

The legislation follows the September 16 convictions of former President Hashim Thaci and three other former KLA commanders for war crimes.

Thaci was sentenced to 25 years in prison. His co-defendants received prison terms ranging from 13 to 25 years. They have all denied the charges.

The rulings prompted weeks of protests and were unanimously condemned by Kosovo’s Parliament in late September.

A protester kicks a tear gas canister fired by riot police outside Kosovo’s Parliament on October 5 [Armend Nimani/AFP]

The question of reforming the court has also become tied to the political battle over Kosovo’s presidency.

Kosovo’s Constitutional Court has ruled that the self-declared republic has until October 6 to elect a president. If lawmakers fail to do so, Parliament will be dissolved, and Kosovo will face another early election.

The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), the largest opposition party and sponsor of the bill, has hinged its support for electing a president to the successful passage of the changes.

Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s governing Vetevendosje party, or the Self-Determination Movement, wants the presidential vote to take place first.

Kurti backed allowing the bill to proceed but told Parliament on Monday that the changes had been rushed.

He has also said the appeals process should be used to challenge the controversial September convictions.

Kosovo riot police stand guard outside Parliament on October 5 [Armend Nimani/AFP]

Kosovo created the Specialist Chambers under pressure from Western allies to prosecute alleged crimes by KLA members.

It was based outside Kosovo partly due to concerns about political pressure and threats to witnesses.

The court remains deeply contentious in Kosovo, where many people regard the KLA as the force that fought Serbian repression and led the self-declared republic towards declaring independence.

The 1998-99 war killed about 13,000 people, most of them ethnic Albanians, and forced about one million Kosovo Albanians from their homes.

The conflict ended after a 78-day NATO bombing campaign against Serbian forces. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but Belgrade does not recognise its sovereignty.

围绕该法院的政治争端已成为举行新的总统选举谈判中的一个因素。

10月5日，在科索沃普里什蒂纳，一名示威者在抗议战争罪判决的示威活动中，将催泪瓦斯罐扔回给防暴警察。[Valdrin Xhemaj/路透社]

科索沃警方与抗议者在议会外发生冲突，抗议者反对限制设在海牙的战争罪行法庭的权力。

周一晚间，议会结束会议，但未通过拟议的改革，随后爆发了暴力事件。这些改革涉及科索沃特别法庭，该法庭专门审理 1998 年至 2000 年科索沃战争期间犯下的罪行。

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该法院成立于 2015 年，是科索沃司法系统的一个独立组成部分，总部设在海牙，工作人员来自世界各地。

然而，批评人士指责法院的判决过于严厉。提交议会的修正案将把刑期限制在15年以内，允许在科索沃服刑，并允许向这个自行宣布成立的共和国的最高法院提出上诉。

这些修改方案在周一早些时候通过了一读，但议会在进行二读之前就休会了。

10月5日，在科索沃普里什蒂纳，抗议前科索沃解放军领导人因战争罪被定罪的示威活动中燃起火焰。[Valdrin Xhemaj/路透社]

数百名抗议者聚集在普里什蒂纳的议会大楼外，其中包括科索沃解放军（KLA）的支持者和老兵。科索沃解放军是一支阿尔巴尼亚族叛军，曾在战争中与塞尔维亚军队作战。

会议结束后，一些人试图阻止议员离开。警方使用催泪瓦斯和高压水炮试图驱散抗议者，其中一些人投掷照明弹和鞭炮。

普里什蒂纳一家医院的急诊主任纳赛尔·西拉告诉美联社，有 12 人受伤，其中包括 11 名平民。

该立法是在前总统哈希姆·萨奇和其他三名前科索沃解放军指挥官于 9 月 16 日因战争罪行被定罪之后出台的。

塔奇被判处25年监禁。他的同案被告被判处13年至25年不等的刑期。他们都否认了指控。

这些裁决引发了数周的抗议活动，并在9月下旬遭到科索沃议会的一致谴责。

10月5日，一名抗议者在科索沃议会外踢开防暴警察发射的催泪瓦斯罐。[Armend Nimani/AFP]

法院改革问题也与科索沃总统职位的政治斗争联系在一起。

科索沃宪法法院裁定，这个自行宣布成立的共和国必须在10月6日前选出总统。如果议员们未能按时完成选举，议会将被解散，科索沃将面临另一次提前选举。

科索沃民主党（PDK）是最大的反对党，也是该法案的发起者，它将对总统选举的支持与这些改革措施的成功通过挂钩。

总理阿尔宾·库尔蒂领导的自决运动党希望先举行总统选举。

库尔蒂支持该法案继续推进，但他周一告诉议会，这些修改过于仓促。

他还表示，应该利用上诉程序对备受争议的9月份判决提出质疑。

10月5日，科索沃防暴警察在议会大厦外站岗。[Armend Nimani/AFP]

在西方盟国的压力下，科索沃设立了专门法庭，以起诉科索沃解放军成员涉嫌犯下的罪行。

该机构设在科索沃境外，部分原因是担心政治压力和证人受到威胁。

科索沃方面对科索沃的争议依然很大，许多人认为科索沃解放军是反抗塞尔维亚镇压并带领这个自称共和国走向独立的强大力量。

1998-99 年的战争造成约 13,000 人死亡，其中大部分是阿尔巴尼亚族人，并迫使约 100 万科索沃阿尔巴尼亚人离开家园。

这场冲突在北约对塞尔维亚军队进行了78天的轰炸后结束。科索沃于2008年宣布脱离塞尔维亚独立，但贝尔格莱德不承认其主权。