The Trial Panel has scheduled the pronouncement of the trial judgment in the case of the Specialist Prosecutor v. Pjetër Shala for 16 July 2024 at 14:00 CET. The hearing will be public and can be followed in Albanian, English or Serbian through the streaming page of the KSC website with a 10-minute delay, or from the public gallery at the premises of the court.
More information about the hearing schedule can be found on the court calendar.
To attend the hearing from the public gallery, pre-registration is required.
Journalists who would like to record the hearing from the media centre can do so, and are also kindly asked to pre-register. To pre-register, please send an email to [email protected] with your name, citizenship, date of birth and passport or ID number, subject line “Trial Judgment”. Media are kindly asked to provide a scan of their press card and to indicate whether they wish to follow the hearing from the public gallery or from the media centre. The deadline for pre-registration is Friday, 12 July at 18:00. Please note that your place is only confirmed once you have received a confirmation email. Confirmation emails will be sent on Monday morning (15 July).
The audio-visual recording of the pronouncement of the judgment will be made available on 16 July later in the day on the KSC webpage and YouTube Channel.
Any journalists with questions may contact the Press Office at [email protected]. In addition, the spokespersons of the KSC hold a regular weekly online press briefing for journalists at 14:30 on Thursdays at which journalists can ask questions. Any journalists wishing to join the press briefing online should write to [email protected] and we will send you the link.
Summary of Charges
In this case, the Prosecution alleges that Pjetёr Shala and certain other Kosovo Liberation Army soldiers, police and guards between approximately 17 May 1999 and 5 June 1999 participated in the arbitrary detention, cruel treatment, torture and in one case the murder of detainees at the Kukës Metal Factory in northern Albania. According to the indictment, the victims of these crimes were persons suspected of collaborating with Serbia or not supporting the KLA, and were not actively taking part in hostilities. Eight victims participated in the court proceedings through a lawyer.
The indictment states that the detainees at the metal factory were routinely assaulted both physically, including through beatings with various instruments, and psychologically, including through threat of death, humiliation, harassment, interrogation, and forced or coerced statements and confessions. The indictment alleges that Pjetёr Shala significantly contributed to the alleged crimes through direct participation, as well as by failing to take adequate measures to ensure the humane treatment of detainees at the Kukës Metal Factory, and otherwise aiding and abetting the charged crimes.
Case History
The Pre-Trial Judge confirmed the initial indictment against Pjetër Shala on 12 June 2020. Mr Shala was arrested on 16 March 2021 in Belgium and transferred to the Detention Unit of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers on 15 April 2021. During the pre-trial phase, evidence was disclosed, decisions were rendered on preliminary motions and eight victims were admitted to participate in the proceedings, represented by Victims’ Counsel. The trial commenced on 21 February 2023 with the opening statements of the Specialist Prosecutor, the Victims’ Counsel and the Defence. On 6 July 2023, the SPO closed its case. On 21 August 2023, the Victims' Counsel presented evidence. The Defence case commenced on 20 September 2023. On 15 January 2024, the Defence of Pjetër Shala notified about the official closure of its case.
The evidentiary proceedings in this case were closed on 9 February 2024 and the closing arguments took place from 15 until 17 April 2024. The SPO called 10 witnesses in court, while two witnesses appeared for the Victims’ Counsel and 10 for the Defence.
More information about the case is available on the Pjetër Shala case page.
