Former KLA commander and, until recently, Prime Minister of Kosovo is charged, together with two of his subordinates, with participation in a “joint criminal enterprise”. The purpose of the enterprise was to eliminate – through abductions, detention, torture and murder – Serbian civilians from the areas where he operated and to prevent the real or perceived collaboration of Albanians and Roma with the Serbian authorities

Ramush Haradinaj, until recently the Prime Minister of Kosovo, and two of his erstwhile subordinates pleaded not guilty to the charges of participation in a “joint criminal enterprise”. The objective of the enterprise, as alleged by the prosecutor, was to remove the Serbian civilians from the part of Kosovo in which they were active, and to prevent the real or perceived collaboration of Albanians and Roma with the Serbian authorities

Former Kosovo prime minister and KLA commander seeks to be provisionally released from detention. According to Haradinaj, the establishment of the Tribunal is “a big mistake of the international community”

The prosecution is opposed to the request by the former Kosovo Premier Ramush Haradinaj to be released pending trial. Instead, the prosecution proposes expediting trial preparations.

Despite his voluntary surrender and the guarantees issued by the UN Mission in Kosovo, the prosecution opposes the provisional release of Ramush Haradinaj. Since Haradinaj’s defense team said it would not be ready for the trial before 2007, the prosecutor asked “who would bring the accused back to the trial” if the UNMIK mission is over by then?

The execution of the Trial Chamber's decision to grant Ramush Haradinaj provisional release stayed until the Appeals Chamber renders its decision on the appeal the prosecution will file, as announced today

Haradinaj can leave the Detention Unit as soon as all the formalities vis-à-vis the Dutch authorities have been done. They have to transfer the accused to the Amsterdam airport, where he will be taken into custody of the UNMIK representatives. They will be in charge of him until he returns to The Hague

The defense of the former Kosovo prime minister announces it will be filing a motion to modify the conditions of his provisional release. The trial of Haradinaj, Balaj and Brahimaj may begin in January 2007

Defence counsel for the former Kosovo prime minister seeks partial revocation of the ban on political activity of the accused, noting that Haradinaj's return to the political scene would have a "stabilizing effect" and would contribute to "the respect of the minorities and opposition groups at this delicate moment in the political evolution of Kosovo"

Prosecutor moves that the judges postpone taking their decision to modify conditions of provisional release for Ramush Haradinaj until indications of witness intimidation have been investigated. The defense and UNMIK believe Haradinaj's presence in public life would promote stability in Kosovo. The trial of former KLA commanders will probably start in late 2006

By a majority of votes, the Trial Chamber granted the motion by the defense to allow the former PM to become active in the political life in Kosovo during his provisional release

The Office of the Prosecutor "deeply disagrees" with the decision of the Trial Chamber and says it will seek leave to appeal. The OTP considers that the decision leads to the "unequal treatment" of the accused politicians.

The Chamber has stayed the execution of its decision allowing Haradinaj to resume political activities until a ruling is made on the motion the prosecution filed yesterday

In their response to the prosecution motion to stay the decision on political activity of the accused, his lawyers claim that the prosecution had to have announced its intention to file it at an earlier stage and that, in any event, "there are no grounds to justify a stay pending the outcome of any appeal."

In its appeal seeking the revocation of the decision allowing Ramush Haradinaj to resume his political activities, the prosecution notes that the Serbian Radicals "could in theory demand the same conditions for their leader, Vojislav Seselj". The prosecution also seeks that any future changes to the terms of Haradinaj's provisional release be decided by the judges, in consultation with the defense and the prosecution

After the Appeals Chamber ordered it to reconsider its decision on Friday, Trial Chamber II decided to extend the time period for the stay of the decision on Ramush Haradinaj's political involvement. The execution of the decision was stayed until 21 November or the end of the appellate proceedings initiated by the prosecution – the proceedings may end before 21 November

Finding that the accused failed to provide persuasive evidence he would return to The Hague for trial and would not pose a danger to the victims and witnesses in the "unstable situation" in Kosovo, the Trial Chamber rejected his motion for provisional release

As the Appeals Chamber has not yet rendered its decision on the prosecution appeal against the decision allowing Ramush Haradinaj to resume limited political activity, the Trial Chamber extended until 6 December the stay on the execution of its own decision

The Trial Chamber that will try the three former KLA commanders should be appointed next week. The parties will file their pre-trial briefs by the end of the month. This means that the preparations for the trial are now in their final stage

As Vojislav Seselj’s trial is not about to start any time soon, the Trial Chamber with Judge Alphons Orie as its president will begin the trial of three former KLA commanders

The Trial Chamber with Judge Orie presiding set the date for the start of the trial of the three former KLA members. The pre-trial conference will be held on 1 March and Haradinaj, Balaj and Brahimaj will re-enter their pleas on the 21 counts of the “operative indictment”

The Trial Chamber with Judge Orie presiding ordered Ramush Haradinaj to return to the UN Detention Unit on 26 February 2007. The pre-trial conference in his case is scheduled for 1 March 2007

The indictment against the three former KLA commanders has 37 counts. This figure, the prosecution noted in its reply to an order from the Trial Chamber, creates a "false impression" of the scope of the case. Each incident in the indictment is crucial for the effort to prove the allegations contained therein, and any cuts in the indictment would "violate the right of the prosecution to a fair trial"

At the pre-trial conference in the case against three former KLA members, the accused re-entered their plea on the 21 counts of "second revised and amended indictment". The defense objected when it was announced that Chief Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte would make the opening statement on Monday, 5 March 2007

There was "nothing noble, heroic, patriotic or honorable" in the crimes three former KLA commanders are charged with. Carla Del Ponte emphasized this in her opening statement at the trial of Ramush Haradinaj, Idriz Balaj and Lahi Brahimaj. The crimes were "brutal and bloody murders", she said

In his opening statement, the prosecutor briefly recounted the incidents described in the indictment saying that the victims, who had been kidnapped or had gone missing at various locations, were all found in the same place: in the canal by the concrete wall used for executions, the wall riddled with bullet holes

In his opening statement, English attorney Ben Emerson contested the applicability of the principle of joint criminal enterprise in this case, claiming that the prosecution "has stretched the concept to its limits" in order to make Haradinaj responsible for "the crimes of all armed Albanians in western Kosovo"

The first prosecution witness at the trial of Ramush Haradinaj, Idriz Balaj and Lahi Brahimaj worked as an investigator for the Humanitarian Law Centre in the spring of 1998. She took statements from Serbs who claimed that they had been attacked by armed Albanians. In the cross-examination, the defense compared some of these statements with the statements given by Kosovo Albanians to another investigator of the same NGO at the same time

In its pre-trial brief, the prosecution noted that protected witness 38 had heard a KLA soldier say, “Commander Ramush Haradinaj, the people we’ve captured are at your disposal”. In her cross-examination, the witness denied having ever said that. Now she says she heard only one word, "commander". Later when she saw a man on TV, she identified Ramush Haradinaj

A Kosovo Roma woman testified today at the trial of Ramush Haradinaj, Idriz Balaj and Lahi Brahimaj. In May 1998 she and her family were expelled twice: first from Ponosevac and then three weeks later from Junik. The witness "doesn't know" and "hasn't seen" Haradinaj. Last week her sister-in-law claimed that she had seen him at a mill where she had been detained and abused by KLA members

Ramush Haradinaj’s defense today tried to challenge the credibility of a report filed by the Humanitarian Law Centre (HLC) about the crimes against Kosovo Serbs. At the same time, though, it referred to the reports made by the same NGO about the crimes against Kosovo Albanians as “indisputable facts”

A protected witness claims that Idriz Balaj, one of the three indicted KLA commanders, took away his two sisters. One was killed and the other is still missing. There is a problem, though: the prosecution has failed to call any evidence to corroborate that “the person the witness mentioned who has the same name as one of the accused really is the accused,” the judges noted

Unlike the previous prosecution witness who was not able to “positively identify” the accused, the witness who testified today at the trial of the former KLA commanders did so. In his interview with the OTP investigators in 2004, he was shown a photo board and was able to recognize Idriz Balaj a/k/a Toger, saying he had been the commander of the “men in black” who had taken away his sisters

Milojica Vlahovic testifies what he had learned about the killing of his parents that he saw for the last time on 21 April 1998. In September 1998 their bodies were found in the Radonjic lake

Ramush Haradinaj’s defense blames the kidnapping and murder of Milovan and Milka Vlahovic on people who used the chaos in the Glodjani area to “settle the accounts with their family”

The defense counsel of the first accused Ramush Haradinaj once again demonstrates his excellent knowledge of the prosecution witnesses and their relatives, accusing Goran Vlahovic of “taking part in violence and retaliation against the Albanian population” in the Decani area in 1998

At the trial of the three KLA commanders, Ramush Haradinaj’s next-door neighbor takes the stand. He is giving evidence about an incident in which Haradinaj himself took part, as alleged in the indictment

Dragoslav Stojanovic describes how he was arrested and beaten up by armed Albanians on 18 April 1998. Then, in the KLA headquarters, his “next-door neighbor” Ramush Haradinaj kicked him in the back, promising him that he would “get to know him very well”

Witness Mijat Stojanovic describes how he was beaten up in the KLA headquarters in Glodjane on 18 April 1998. He claims he saw the first accused Ramush Haradinaj twice on that day. He attended the same elementary school as Haradinaj

Ramush Hardinaj’s defense counsel claims that the indignant villagers of Glodjane arrested and beat up three prosecution witnesses on 18 April 1998 because a month earlier the police had launched an attack on the Haradinaj family compound using their house as a base. Three teenagers had been killed in the attack. As one of the three witnesses is not from Glodjane at all, he asked why he had suffered the same fate

The trial of three former KLA commanders continued today with the testimony of a man who was on the bus from which Ramush Haradinaj and his fellow fighters took two Albanians on 20 July 1998. The two men were taken in the direction of Glodjani, and their bodies were later found in the Radonjic lake

The prosecution witness testifying under pseudonym 21 recounts in court how he found the bodies of Ilira and Tus Frokaj in the Radonjic lake canal. The victims were Kosovo Albanian Catholics who, according to the prosecution, were interrogated by the accused Idriz Balaj before they were killed

A prosecution witness took the stand at the trial of three former KLA commanders. His evidence about the murder of his Serbian neighbors Slobodan Radosevic and Milos Radunovic was contrary to what he had told the prosecutors in 2005. For the most part, he confirmed the defense case of three accused

British colonel John Crossland says that in the spring of 1998 he considered Ramush Haradinaj as the KLA commander in charge of the Dukagjin area. Haradinaj confirmed this when they met in the KLA HQ in Glodjane that same spring

The cross-examination of Colonel John Crossland at the trial of the three former KLA commanders resembled closely his examination-in chief at the Kosovo six trial. Haradinaj’s defense counsel was mostly interested in the activities of the Serbian security forces, more so than in the actions the KLA launched in the Dukagjin area

Bislim Zyrapi, former KLA Chief of Main Staff, claims that Ramush Haradinaj was the commander of the Dukagjin Operative zone in July 1998, although he qualifies his claim by saying that this was a time when “comprehensive and coherent” military structure was being set up in the KLA. The second accused Idriz Balaj commanded a rapid response unit which was also under Haradinaj’s command

In an effort to prove that “normal military structure” didn’t exist in the KLA, Ramush Haradinaj’s defense counsel claims that his client was “democratically” elected as the commander of the Dukagjin operative zone”; he was not appointed to that post by “a military decision”. Even after his appointment, Emmerson argues, Haradinaj did not have control over the entire zone

Former KLA Chief of Main Staff describes how Ramush Haradinaj, Dukagjin Operative Zone commander, introduced him to the accused Idriz Balaj, Rapid Response Unit commander. Haradinaj introduced Balaj as a “brave and experienced fighter ready to fight for the freedom of his country”

Former FARK member describes torture he was subjected to in the KLA HQ in Glodjane. He identifies Ramush and Daut Haradinaj and Idriz Balaj as the perpetrators. Haradinaj tried to kill him, but then he apologized to the witness the next day.

Describing how his sister Sanije Balaj was killed, prosecution witness says Ramush Haradinaj and Idriz Balaj were not to blame for the crime. Shaban Balaj is convinced Ramush would never have allowed it, and that Idriz was wrongly accused for moving her body. The witness and the first accused were cautioned about ‘making eye contact” in the courtroom

Prosecution witness Zymer Hasanaj admits he coined the phrase about Ramush Haradinaj in the spring 1999, but, as he now says, it doesn’t point to any command role of the accused in the KLA

Zoran Stijovic explains methods the Serbian State Security Service used to get information from Albanian sources in Kosovo – money, political ambitions and blackmail. ‘Immoral behavior is a great way to put people in a situation where they will act the way you want them to’, prosecution witness says at the trial of former KLA commanders

Describing the beginnings and development of the KLA, former chief of the analysis section in the Pristina Security Service office Zoran Stijovic says there were several KLA strongholds, such as those in the villages of Prekaze, Jablanica and Glodjane. They were run by Jashari, Brahimaj and Haradinaj families. In early 1998, the Haradinaj clan, headed by Ramush Haradinaj, took over

In his examination-in chief, the witness talked about the intelligence the police had on the involvement of Idriz Balaj in Kosovo crimes and his ties with the first accused Haradinaj. In the cross-examination, the defense of the former KLA commanders mostly focused on the crimes committed by the Serbian police and its purported practice of transferring bodies away from the crime scenes

Dragan Zivanovic, former commander of the VJ 125th Brigade claims that from the beginning to the end of 1998 the KLA brought some 300,000 guns into Kosovo and established control over the Dukagjin area with strongholds in Glodjani and Jablanica

General Dragan Zivanovic dismisses Haradinaj’s defense claims that the army and police, not the KLA, controlled the part of Kosovo east of the Pec-Djakovica road in September 1998. The Serbian security forces had ‘restricted access’ to this area, he said, during the anti-terrorist actions in the summer of 1998

The defense is trying to show that the Serbian security forces had access to the Radonjic lake even before 8 September 1998, when the bodies were discovered there. In another tack, the defense is also trying to cast doubt on the prosecution evidence by emphasizing that police generals Vlastimir Djordjevic and Obrad Stevanovic were the first to arrive at the site where the bodies were found

Former member of the KLA testifies at the Haradinaj et al. trial. He is named in the indictment as a participant in the joint criminal enterprise and a direct perpetrator of some of the crimes – kidnaps and abuse – that Haradinaj, Balaj and Brahimaj are charged with

The prosecution should complete its case at the Haradinaj, Balaj and Brahimaj trial by 16 November. The defense teams were invited to state one week before this deadline whether they would be filing a motion of no case to answer on all or some counts in the indictment where they contend prosecution failed to prove the guilt of the accused

Former activist of the Humanitarian Law Center in Belgrade says the KLA had control over the Dukagjin area in 1998. According to her, KLA troops attacked local Serbs in an attempt to expel them. Haradinaj’s defense counsel didn’t contest her claims, deciding to question the protected witness about the crimes committed by the Serbian Interior Ministry instead

In his initial appearance, Avni Krasniqi refused to enter his plea on the counts in the indictment charging him with contempt of court. The judges decided to give him time to think and ordered that he be remanded in custody until the next time he is invited to enter his plea

The witness, an Albanian woman from Kosovo, testifying under the pseudonym 23 and with full protective measures describes the state of her husband after his release from the KLA prison. ‘Everything but his soul was mutilated’, she said

A third indictment for contempt of court is issued against yet another witness who refused to comply with the binding order to testify in the trial against three former KLA commanders charged with crimes against Albanian, Serbian and Roma civilians in 1998

Ahmet Ukaj claims the killers of Sanije Balaj forced him to help them bury her body. The prosecution witness greeted the three accused at the end of his testimony, saying he ‘likes them very much’

After his refusal to testify at the trial of former KLA commanders and his subsequent arrest on contempt of court charges, Avni Krasniqi changed his mind and appeared in the courtroom today. Ramush Haradinaj appointed Idriz Gashi as the commander of the Podrimlje, he told the court. Gashi allegedly killed Sanije Balaj, an Albanian woman from Kosovo. The second accused Idriz Balaj then removed body from the crime scene in his Jeep, Krasniqi said

After Avni Krasniqi, yet another unwilling prosecution witness changes his mind. Sadri Selca decides to testify at the trial of three former KLA commanders. After their evidence, the contempt of court charges against them were dropped and they were released from the UN Detention Unit

In June 2007, Shefqet Kabashi, former KLA member, refused to testify at the trial of Ramush Haradinaj, Idriz Balaj and Lahi Brahimaj before the Tribunal. Today, Kabashi again refused to give evidence in a New York courtroom where he was brought after he was subpoenaed to testify and after a warrant for his arrest was issued by the Tribunal

A protected witness with the pseudonym 30 failed to appear at the location where he was supposed to testify at the trial of former KLA commanders via video link. The Trial Chamber decided to formally conclude the prosecution case on Wednesday at noon. The defense teams of Haradinaj, Balaj and Brahimaj have yet to state whether they intend to call any evidence

Defense counsel representing former KLA commander Idriz Balaj accuses Carla del Ponte of violating professional ethics. Del Ponte stated in an interview that she believed Ramush Haradinaj was guilty and that she intended to prove this. She was criticized for not denying the ‘media speculation’ about the alleged murders of witnesses who were to testify against Haradinaj

The defense teams of three former KLA commanders, Ramush Haradinaj, Idriz Balaj and Lahi Brahimaj, tell the Trial Chamber they don’t intend to contest the evidence presented by the prosecution. The closing statements have been scheduled for 21, 22 and 23 January 2008

The Trial Chamber granted the motion of the accused for a two-week provisional release during the winter recess, agreeing with the defence that there was no risk that they would refuse to come back to The Hague. Milan Milutinovic, Radivoje Miletic, Milan Gvero, Rasim Delic and six former Herceg Bosna leaders have also been provisionally released

In its final brief, the prosecution claims it has proven that the three former commanders took part in a joint criminal enterprise that resulted in the murder of at least 40 Albanians, Roma and Serbs in 1998. Closing arguments are scheduled for next week

Closing arguments have begun at the trial of Haradinaj, Balaj and Brahimaj. The prosecution believes it has proven beyond reasonable doubt that the accused are responsible for the persecution of civilians; the defense claims that the prosecution case "ultimately rests on foundations on sand"

There is no proof that the three accused personally took part in crimes, their defense claims. The prosecution failed to prove that the people under their control perpetrated the crimes. The defense ascribes the crimes to ’undisciplined village guards and unidentified individuals in turn controlled by unidentified persons"

In his rebuttal of the closing arguments of the defense, the prosecutor agreed with Haradinaj’s defense counsel that in the spring of 1999 the KLA had been in a state of anarchy. This, however, suited the first accused, enabling him to accomplish his criminal intent, the prosecutor went on to say. Why did Haradinaj’s defense counsel defend Balaj? Was ‘Toger’ identified properly? Is there a similarity between Lahi Brahimaj and Nelson Mandela? Can the judgment be expected by mid-March?

The prosecution called for 25 years in prison for Ramush Haradinaj, Idriz Balaj and Lahi Brahimaj, former KLA commanders. The defense called for their acquittal claiming that their responsibility for crimes against Albanian, Serbian and Roma civilians in 1998 hasn’t been proved

According to the Trial Chamber, the prosecution managed to prove that the KLA troops committed crimes – murder, cruel treatment, torture and rape – described in the eight counts of the indictment. However the involvement of the three accused was not proven beyond reasonable doubt, except in two cases. The judges ‘got a strong impression that the trial proceeded in an atmosphere in which the witnesses did not feel secure’

Intimidation of potential witnesses was an important factor in the failure of the prosecution to prove its case at the trial of Haradinaj, Balaj and Brahimaj but mistakes it made in its investigations, improper identification procedures, low level of credibility of evidence provided by the Serbian MUP, a bungling prosecution team and high threshold of proof set by the Trial Chamber also played a part

The judgment in the Haradinaj, Balaj and Brahimaj case notes that there was no evidence proving beyond reasonable doubt who killed Albanians, Serbs and Roma whose bodies were found in the Radonjic lake canal. The Trial Chamber does consider that there is ‘likelihood’ that KLA members were responsible for their deaths

In the judgment in the Haradinaj, Balaj and Brahimaj case, the Trial Chamber used the murder of Sanije Balaj to show that things that are 'obvious' and that 'everybody knows' need not be true

Prosecution calls for a re-trial in its notice of appeal against the judgment of three former KLA commanders. The Trial Chamber ‘abused its authority when it put an end to the prosecution case’ preventing it from calling evidence on the participation of the accused in the joint criminal enterprise

In its appeal against the acquittal of Ramush Haradinaj and Idriz Balaj and against the six-year sentence imposed on Lahi Brahimaj, the prosecution contends that it was prejudiced by ‘the premature ending of the trial’ and calls for a permission to re-present evidence on the counts in the indictment charging the accused with the murder and abuse of Albanians, Serbs and Roma in the Jablanica camp

The prosecution claims it will prove beyond reasonable doubt that Astrit Haraqija, former Kosovo minister and his assistant Bajrush Morina are guilty of contempt of court, alleging that Haraqija and Morina attempted to influence a protected prosecution witness due to testify at the trial of the former KLA commanders. Haraqija is 'offended' by being put in the dock

Steven Schook, deputy chief of UNMIK, was also listed as a suspect in the case of attempted pressuring of a protected witness due to testify at the Haradinaj Trial

The prosecutor called for a two-year sentence for the former Kosovo minister, Astrit Haraqija and one year in prison for his assistant Bajrush Morina for alleged attempt to influence a protected witness in the Haradinaj case to either change his testimony or to decide not to testify.

Arguing in favor of its motion to re-open the case against Haradinaj, Balaj and Brahimaj in order for two unwilling witnesses to be examined, the prosecution noted that they refused to testify because they were intimidated. If the appellate judgment confirms this status quo, it would imply that ‘the intimidators won in the end’. The defense opposed the motion, arguing that it was ‘pointless’. There is no indication that the two witnesses in question are willing to testify

The Appeals Chamber has reversed the acquittal of the three KLA commanders of the charges of crimes against civilians in the prison camp Jablanica in 1998, ordering a re-trial on six counts in the indictment. The prosecution’s request to reverse Balaj’s acquittal on the counts of murder, rape and torture was rejected. Brahimaj’s demand to either quash his conviction or give him a milder sentence was also rejected. An order was issued to bring the accused back to the detention unit

Deputy Chief Prosecutor Norman Farrell noted in his statement to our agency that the judgment delivered by the Appeals Chamber in the Haradinaj et al. case was extremely “important’ as the judges recognized there was ‘an unprecedented atmosphere of widespread and serious intimidation of witnesses’ during the trial

The European Union mission in Kosovo is willing to guarantee that the terms set down by the Trial Chamber would be complied with during the provisional release of Ramush Haradinaj and Lahi Brahimaj. The prosecution has opposed the provisional release of the accused noting that the Trial Chamber in its judgment found that the trial had proceeded in ‘an unprecedented atmosphere of widespread and very serious intimidation of witnesses”

The Trial Chamber that will conduct the partial re-trial of the former KLA commanders considers there is no risk that the two accused might abscond, but has decided not to grant provisional release pending trial to Ramush Haradinaj and Lahi Brahimaj out of concern for the safety of witnesses and victims

Judge Bakone Moloto ordered the prosecution to submit its pre-trial brief and witness and exhibits list by the end of November 2010. The defense is expected to submit its briefs two weeks later. Preparations for the beginning of the trial should be completed by the end of 2010

In the new amended indictment, the three former KLA commanders are charged with the joint criminal enterprise whose purpose was to mistreat Kosovo Serbs, Albanians and Roma, and which involved murder and torture of prisoners in the Jablanica prison camp

The defense lawyers representing Ramush Haradinaj and Idriz Balaj want the prosecution to amend the new indictment against their clients. In their view, the scope of the alleged joint criminal enterprise should be limited to the crimes in the KLA prison camp in Jablanica. Lahi Brahimaj’s defense wants his name removed from two of the six counts in the indictment

The defense teams of Ramush Haradinaj, Lahi Brahimaj, Jovica Stanisic, Franko Simatovic and Mico Stanisic filed their motions seeking provisional release for their clients during the Tribunal’s winter recess

Although the judges never denied that in Kosovo ‘there is an atmosphere of intimidation of witnesses’ and that the provisional release of the accused might result in more threats and intimidation, they decided to grant Ramush Haradinaj permission to spend the winter recess in Pristina. The enforcement of the decision will be stayed until the Appeals Chamber rules on any appeals filed by the prosecution. A similar motion filed by Lahi Brahimaj was rejected

The prosecution urged the Appeals Chamber to quash the Trial Chamber’s decision to provisionally release Ramush Haradinaj during the Tribunal’s winter recess. ‘No reasonable trial chamber’ could decide that Haradinaj’s stay in Kosovo would be an insubstantial threat to the integrity of the proceedings, the prosecution argued

The Appeals Chamber quashed the Trial Chamber’s decision to provisionally release former KLA leader Ramush Haradinaj. In the opinion of the Appeals Chamber, the Trial Chamber’s decision is ‘so unreasonable as to constitute an abuse of its discretion’

The Trial Chamber accepted the motion of Lahi Brahimaj’s defense to delete his name from two counts in the new indictment for crimes in Kosovo. The motion filed by Ramush Haradinaj’s defense to reduce the scope of the joint criminal enterprise for the KLA crimes was dismissed

A pre-trial conference was held today before the beginning of a partial re-trial of the former KLA leaders. The prosecution indicated it would call 56 witnesses. Most of the evidence will be tendered through transcripts from the previous trial of Haradinaj, Balaj and Brahimaj. Ramush Haradinaj’s defense will deliver its opening statement tomorrow after the prosecution completes its opening statement

The prosecution expects that once all evidence is in at the partial re-trial of Haradinaj, Balaj and Brahimaj, the Trial Chamber will be convinced that the accused are guilty of torture, cruel treatment and murder of Serb, Albanian and Roma prisoners in Jablanica. Haradinaj’s defense counsel responded, saying that his client was a KLA commander who fought other soldiers and not civilians. Haradinaj’s defense lawyer is sure he would prove it at the trial

The former KLA member will have a new chance to testify at the trial of Haradinaj, Balaj and Brahimaj on Monday, instead of today, to have time and prepare ‘physically and mentally’. Until now Kabashi has refused to give evidence

Today, Kabashi again stubbornly refused to repeat the claims he had made to the OTP investigators and to reply to the prosecutor's questions about the crimes in the KLA camp in Jablanica. However, the former guard in the KLA camp remained unclear about the reasons for his stubborn refusal. He said he 'cannot reply' when the prosecutor asked him if he had any concerns for his safety, and that he “didn't know” if he was concerned for the safety of anyone else. He did clearly say the other witnesses of the crimes in Jablanica had been 'killed or disappeared'

The prosecution wants Shefqet Kabashi's evidence at the Limaj et al. trial to be admitted into evidence at the trial of former KLA commanders Haradinaj, Balaj and Brahimaj. The defense is opposed. In his testimony in March 2005, Kabashi described the crimes against the prisoners in the Jablanica camp

At the trial of Haradinaj, Balaj and Brahimaj, the Trial Chamber has granted the prosecution’s motion to admit into evidence the transcript of the testimony former KLA soldier Shefqet Kabashi gave at the trial of Fatmir Limaj and others. The defense immediately moved to strike it off the record. After Kabashi ended his testimony, the prosecution called former Serbian State Security officer Zoran Stijovic

In his evidence at the trial of Haradinaj, Balaj and Brahimaj, a former member of the Serbian State Security Service from Pristina at first denied that the Serb police used blackmail to recruit informers from the KLA. As the witness explained, they were ’given a choice’ to cooperate or to risk criminal prosecution or disclosure of details from their private life. Asked to describe the approach in a word, the witness said that he couldn’t think of another term but blackmail

Prosecution witness Bislim Zyrapi was today cross-examined by the defense. He agreed with the defense that in the summer of 1998 the KLA was 'an embryonic army', which had problems establishing coordination. He did remain adamant, however, that Ramush Haradinaj had under his command the entire Dukagjin Operational Zone, which included the KLA camp in Jablanica. The prosecution alleges that many crimes were committed there against Albanian, Serb and Roma prisoners

A protected prosecution witness described at the trial of Haradinaj, Balaj and Brahimaj how two Roma men were kidnapped in May 1998. They were then taken to the Jablanica prison camp where they were executed. After this witness, the prosecution called a man whose brother was kept prisoner in the KLA prison camp in Jablanica. He also testified as a protected witness. The defense protested against a letter the Serbian National Council for Cooperation with the Tribunal sent to the ICTY president

Protected prosecution witness says that in 1998 he visited his brother who was detained in the KLA camp in Jablanica a few times. The witness saw that his brother had been badly beaten: his eyes and hands were swollen, his face was disfigured, his clothes were covered in mud and he couldn’t walk without the guards’ help. The witness didn’t mention Ramush Haradinaj; he said he saw Lahi Brahimaj and Idriz Balaj in the prison camp

Skender Rexhametaj, former KLA commander from the village of Istinic in Kosovo, said in his statements to the OTP investigators that Ramush Haradinaj became the commander of the Dukagjin Operational Zone on 23 June 1998. In the cross-examination, the witness agreed with the defense counsel that no one issued orders in the area. In the KLA, decisions were made by ‘consensus’. At the beginning of the hearing, the evidence of protected witness 75 was interrupted

The defense of the three former KLA commanders, Haradinaj, Balaj and Brahimaj, urged the Trial Chamber to ‘reprimand the prosecutor’ for his failure to disclose documents related to the evidence of protected witness 75. The defense asked the judges to ‘draw reasonable inferences in favor of the accused’ regarding the witness’s credibility

A protected prosecution witness described what Ramush Haradinaj and other KLA members did in the spring and summer of 1998 to pressure the FARK commanders – the rival Kosovo Albanian army – into withdrawing to Albania. The indictment alleges that Haradinaj did that ‘to allow his soldiers to dominate in the Dukagjin area and persecute civilians’

A protected prosecution witness contested the defense case that the two Kosovo Albanian armies, the KLA and FARK, united after a brief conflict. The witness insisted that the goal of the KLA and Ramush Haradinaj was to eliminate the rival FARK headed by Tahir Zemaj

A Turkish police officer who had served in UNMIK in Kosovo said in his testimony that he had found notebook with hand-written notes during a search of Idriz Balaj’s house. The prosecutor contends that the notebook is the war diary of the accused but the judges decided not to admit it into evidence with a majority vote. A protected witness described how a member of her family was beaten up and abused for two months in the KLA prison camp in Jablanica

Ramush Haradinaj’s defense counsel tried to prove that the KLA didn’t want to expel the FARK – a rival army – from Kosovo but wanted to integrate its soldiers into the KLA ranks. Haradinaj’s defense counsel showed the witness an entry from a diary kept by an FARK officer, in which the man says ‘it makes no sense any more to speak about two different armies’, as the FARK joined the KLA

A protected prosecution witness described how he spent the three days in detention in the KLA prison camp in Jablanica. First, he was beaten by male guards with baseball bats. Then, Lahi Brahimaj told two women in black uniform that they could ‘practice a bit’ on him, the witness recounted. The witness said that he was released from the KLA camp on the orders of Ramush Haradinaj

A protected prosecution witness who was detained and tortured for three days in the KLA camp in Jablanica in the summer of 1998, claims the accused Lahi Brahimaj was ‘No. 1’ there. The defense has tried to discredit the witness, saying he ‘made false accusations’ against Brahimaj who had shamed the witness before the residents of his village, when he accused the witness of stealing and selling a Kalashnikov rifle

Displeased with the fact that some prosecution witnesses either arrived late in The Hague or ended up not testifying although they were on the witness list, Ramush Haradinaj’s defense lawyer called for a strict deadline for the prosecution to rest its case. The presiding judge indicated he shared the defense’s concern but recalled that the trial already had to be repeated because of problems with the witnesses. As the presiding judge noted, the Trial Chamber would like to avoid any further retrials for the same reason

At the trial of the former KLA commanders, the evidence of the protected witness was suddenly interrupted after the first break because the witness failed to return to the courtroom. The protected witness saw prisoners in the Jablanica prison camp in the spring of 1998

Former KLA member claims he was present in the Jablanica prison camp when Ramush Haradinaj punched two prisoners, a Serb and a Roma. Idriz Balaj cut them with a knife while Lahi Brahimaj beat them with a baseball bat

Ramush Haradinaj’s defense lawyer claims the protected prosecution witness ‘fabricated’ his entire testimony about his visits to the KLA prison camp in Jablanica in 1998 and the abuse of prisoners at the hands of the three accused. The witness responded by levying accusations at the defense; at one point, he swore at the lawyer

The cross-examination of a protected prosecution witness testifying under the pseudonym 81 continued today in much the same spirit as yesterday. Ramush Haradinaj’s defense lawyer brought up the inconsistencies in the statements the witness has made, accusing him of lying. The witness replied that he made mistakes because he was scared, and called the defense counsel a liar in turn

An insider witness completed his testimony today at the Haradinaj et al. trial. His evidence proceeded for the most part in closed session. The witness claimed that as a KLA member he visited the prison camp in Jablanica and saw Ramush Haradinaj, Idriz Balaj and Lahi Brahimaj actually commit crimes. The defense contends that such claims were ‘fabrications and lies’. There will be a break in the trial until 13 February 2012

The prosecution has rested its case at the trial of former KLA commanders Ramush Haradinaj, Idriz Balaj and Lahi Brahimaj. A status conference has been scheduled for 2 May 2012

The defense teams of the three former Kosovo Liberation Army commanders, Ramush Haradinaj, Idriz Balaj and Lahi Brahimaj, has announced that they will not present their cases. The defense lawyers have indicated they will not call for the acquittal of their clients after the prosecution has rested its case, in line with rule 98 bis

According to the decision of the Trial Chamber in the re-trial of the former Kosovo Liberation Army commanders, the parties will present their closing arguments on 25 and 26 June 2012

The prosecution claims it has proven beyond reasonable doubt the responsibility of the three former members of the KLA for the crimes against prisoners in the KLA prison camp in Jablanica, calling for ‘at least 20 years in prison’ for them. Ramush Haradinaj’s defense counsel dismissed those arguments, and claimed the prosecution ‘did a sloppy job’ by using ‘sleazy witnesses’ planted by the Serbian State Security Service

Ramush Haradinaj’s defense counsel argues that Haradinaj was innocent, invoking the testimony of witnesses who testified that Haradinaj didn’t really have command powers and wasn’t responsible for crimes. Haradinaj’s defense also quoted former representatives of the international administration in Kosovo who all spoke of Haradinaj as a ‘friend’, a ‘man of vision’ and ‘true fighter for human rights’

Closing arguments are over at the trial of Ramush Haradinaj, Idriz Balaj and Lahi Brahimaj. The prosecution contends there is enough evidence to sentence all three to at least 20 years in prison, the defense counters that the prosecution’s case is based on ‘unreliable and false’ evidence of witnesses who are all ‘liars’ and ‘arch-spies’

Transcript of the evidence of protected witness who testified under the pseudonym 80 has been made public more than two months after he testified. In his evidence, he accused Idriz Balaj and Lahi Brahimaj of taking an active part in the beating, maiming and killing of prisoners in the Jablanica prison in the spring of 1998. Witness 80 also said that Ramush Haradinaj ‘must have known’ about what was going on in there. The defense lawyers contested the witness’s credibility, labeling him a ‘liar, fraud and smuggler’

On Thursday, 29 November 2012, Judge Moloto’s Trial Chamber will render the second judgment in the case against the former KLA commanders who were tried for crimes against Albanians, Serbs and Roma in the Jablanica prison camp in 1998

The OTP once again denied Vladimir Vukcevic’s allegations about the witnesses in the case against Haradinaj, Balaj and Brahimaj being killed. The OTP recalled that the Serbian war crimes prosecutor had already made similar claims, only to issue a full denial soon afterwards

Former KLA commanders Ramush Haradinaj, Idriz Balaj and Lahi Brahimaj were acquitted of the crimes against Albanian, Roma and Serb civilians in the Jablanica prison camp. The judges found that some KLA crimes had been proven, but the existence of a joint criminal enterprise remained unproven