71 protected witnesses expected at Hague trial of Thaci and other leaders of so-called KLA

Photo: Tanjug/AP

71 protected witnesses are expected to testify before the Specialist Chambers (special court) in The Hague during the trial against the leaders of the so-called KLA ("Kosovo Liberation Army") Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi.

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Their testimonies will not be shown to the public, nor their identity, Bota Sot writes and adds that David Hooper, the lawyer of the former president of so-called Kosovo Hashim Thaci is disputing the way the Specialist Chambers chose those witnesses.

Hooper filed a motion objecting that the pre-trial judge did not individually assess the circumstances regarding each witness, but made the decision in general, regarding all witnesses, and that, as Thaci's defense stated, he relied on "subjective fear generalized in unfounded statements."

This argument of the defense was disputed by the Specialist Prosecutor's Office, stressing that the judge individually assessed whether the disclosure of witnesses represented a risk and that attorney Hooper incorrectly referred to alleged facts.

According to Hooper, such a decision by the pre-trial judge did not take into account the principle of proportionality of witness protection measures and thus significantly affected the defense's ability to effectively examine evidence in court.

Thaci's defense misrepresents the disputed decision, claiming that the pre-trial judge did not properly assess proportionality, it is stated at the end of a document issued by the Specialist Chambers.

A few days ago, the pre-trial judge opposed requests coming from the defense of Thaci, Veseli, Krasniqi and Selimi for their temporary release.

(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)