Clashes outside Kosovo parliament over bill to curb war crimes court
Protesters and police clashed in Pristina on 5 October as lawmakers passed a first reading of amendments limiting the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, weeks after it sentenced ex-president Hashim Thaci.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Police and protesters clashed outside Kosovo's parliament and government buildings in Pristina on Monday 5 October, as demonstrators demanded passage of a bill to curb the powers of the Kosovo war crimes court based in The Hague. Hindustan TimesN “Police clashed with demonstrators outside Kosovo's parliament on Monday, as protesters demanded the passage of a bill that would curb the powers of the country's war crimes court.” Read at Hindustan Times ↗ The Straits TimesRC “Protesters clashed with police outside Kosovo's government and parliament buildings on Monday” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Mixed · 2The protest followed last month's sentencing of former President Hashim Thaci and three other senior former Kosovo Liberation Army figures; Reuters reported a combined 81 years in prison, including 25 years for Thaci, 58, for crimes such as murder, torture and illegal detention. The Straits TimesRC “sentenced former President Hashim Thaci and three others to a combined 81 years in prison for war crimes.” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Hindustan TimesN “Thaci and three other senior guerrilla figures were handed hefty sentences after being found criminally responsible for murders, illegal arrests, torture and cruel treatment” Read at Hindustan Times ↗ Centre · 1According to AFP, several hundred protesters spent most of the day outside parliament, pledging to blockade it until the law passed, and approached police lines when the session ended without the bill's passage, trying to stop lawmakers leaving. Hindustan TimesN “Several hundred protesters spent most of the day outside parliament, pledging to blockade the building until lawmakers passed a law aimed at curbing the court's powers.”“demonstrators approached police lines in an attempt to stop lawmakers from leaving” Read at Hindustan Times ↗
Mixed · 2Police used tear gas and water cannon; AFP also reported armoured vehicles and burning bins, and both agencies said demonstrators threw firecrackers, with Reuters adding stones. Hindustan TimesN “Bins were also set alight near the parliament as projectiles were thrown at officers who responded with a water cannon and armoured vehicles.” Read at Hindustan Times ↗ The Straits TimesRC “Police fired tear gas and used water cannon to disperse demonstrators who threw firecrackers and stones at officers” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Right · 1Reuters, citing police, reported at least 17 people injured, including six police officers, and three protesters detained. The Straits TimesRC “At least 17 people were injured, including six police officers, police said. Three protesters were detained.” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Mixed · 2Lawmakers approved the first reading of amendments to the law establishing the Kosovo Specialist Chambers (KSC). They would cap sentences at 15 years, let convicts serve terms in Kosovo and allow presidential pardons or amnesty; Reuters adds that defendants could appeal to Kosovo's Supreme Court. The Straits TimesRC “The amendments to the Specialist Chambers law would cap prison sentences at 15 years, allow defendants to appeal to Kosovo's Supreme Court, permit sentences to be served in Kosovo and enable the country's president to grant amnesty to convicted individuals.” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Hindustan TimesN “The proposal would also allow convicts to serve their terms in Kosovo, limit sentences to 15 years and clear the way for presidential pardons.” Read at Hindustan Times ↗
Centre · 1AFP reported that the KSC would no longer be able to try crimes committed during the war itself, with jurisdiction limited to crimes inside Kosovo in its immediate aftermath; the bill must undergo parliamentary review before a second reading. Hindustan TimesN “the KSC would no longer be able to try war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the war between ethnic Albanian guerrillas and Serb armed forces.”“It will now face parliamentary review before it can return to parliament for a second reading.” Read at Hindustan Times ↗ Mixed · 2Prime Minister Albin Kurti told parliament his government backed the first reading but considered the amendments rushed and insufficiently thought through. Reuters said Kurti and his party declined to back a same-day second vote on the amendments, which were presented by Thaci's former party, the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK). The Straits TimesRC “Despite backing the first vote, Kurti and his party declined to support the second vote on the same day for the amendments presented by Thaci's former party, the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK).” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Hindustan TimesN “said the proposed law was "hasty" and not properly "thought through"” Read at Hindustan Times ↗ Mixed · 2The KSC was set up in 2015 under pressure from the EU and US to prosecute former KLA fighters, and sits abroad largely to avoid political pressure and threats to witnesses; opposition parties and veterans' groups have long criticised it, and the convicted men are widely seen in Kosovo as heroes. Hindustan TimesN “the hybrid court is seated abroad largely to prevent political pressure and threats to witnesses.” Read at Hindustan Times ↗ The Straits TimesRC “deep anger in Kosovo over the court's conviction of former fighters who are considered heroes” Read at The Straits Times ↗
Mixed · 2AFP said the law would not affect the current sentences even if passed, and that Thaci and the others will appeal through the KSC process; Reuters said they have appealed. Hindustan TimesN “Even if passed, the law would not affect the current sentences for Thaci and the other men” Read at Hindustan Times ↗ The Straits TimesRC “Thaci and the three co-defendants have appealed the verdict.” Read at The Straits Times ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- AFP copy focused on the confrontation outside parliament and the detail of the proposed law's effect on the court's jurisdiction.
- Emphasis
- Eyewitness description of tear gas, burning bins and armoured vehicles; limits on KSC jurisdiction; the bill not affecting current sentences.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not give casualty or detention figures or the total sentence length.
- Charged language
- “hasty”
- For example
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“AFP journalists saw riot police use tear gas on the crowd, with some in the group throwing firecrackers at police lines.” — Hindustan Times
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Reuters copy leading with the clash and its casualty count, presenting it as a sign of political division.
- Emphasis
- Injury and detention figures, 81-year combined sentences, Kurti's refusal to back a same-day second vote, and Kosovo's divisions.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the proposed narrowing of the court's jurisdiction over wartime crimes.
- Charged language
- “heroes”“rushed”
- For example
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“highlights growing divisions in parliament in one of Europe's poorest nations.” — The Straits Times
What every side reports
- Protesters clashed with police outside Kosovo's parliament in Pristina on 5 October.
- Police used tear gas and water cannon; protesters threw firecrackers.
- Parliament approved a first reading of amendments to the Specialist Chambers law, including a 15-year sentence cap.
- Prime Minister Albin Kurti called the amendments rushed and not properly thought through.
- Hashim Thaci and three others were sentenced last month and are appealing.
Where accounts differ
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Status of the Thaci appeal
- Centre
- AFP (Hindustan Times): the men have said they will appeal through the KSC process.
- Right
- Reuters (Straits Times): Thaci and co-defendants have appealed the verdict.
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Whether a second vote took place
- Centre
- AFP: the bill goes to parliamentary review before a second reading; the session ended without passage.
- Right
- Reuters: Kurti's party declined to support a second vote held the same day, which demonstrators demanded.
Kosovo place
Prime Minister Albin Kurti's government supported the first reading but called the amendments rushed and insufficiently analysed; demonstrators and the PDK pushed for passage.
“"We consider these moves to amend the law on the Specialist Chambers rushed and insufficiently analysed and thought through," Kurti told parliament.” — The Straits Times
Kosovo Specialist Chambers organisation
The court, seated in The Hague, is the target of the bill; it is criticised by opposition parties and veterans' groups, and its convictions are under appeal.
“Opposition parties and war veteran organisations have long criticised the Kosovo Specialist Chambers” — Hindustan Times
Left1 article
Centre1 article
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Hindustan TimesN · · via AFP
Clashes erupt outside Kosovo parliament over war crimes court
Neutral AFP wire account of the clashes with detail on the bill's jurisdictional limits.
Right1 article
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The Straits TimesRC · · via Reuters
Protesters clash with police over Kosovo war crimes court law
Neutral Reuters wire account stressing casualties, Kurti's stance and political divisions.
- 5 Oct 20:33 First Hindustan TimesN Clashes erupt outside Kosovo parliament over war crimes court via AFP
- 6 Oct 00:29 +3h 55m The Straits TimesRC Protesters clash with police over Kosovo war crimes court law via Reuters
- 6 Oct 01:10 +4h 37m Al JazeeraLC Police clash with Kosovo protesters over bid to curb Hague war crimes court
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.