Academy president on the Hague verdict: Deep reservations about how the Specialist Court was conceived

Justina Shiroka-Pula, president of the Kosovo Academy of Sciences and Arts, reacted to the September 16 guilty verdict of the Hague Special Court against KLA leaders.

She said the latest ruling against four former Kosovo Liberation Army leaders obliges us to reflect not only on the judicial verdict but also on the very nature, mandate and functioning of the Specialist Chambers.

“Our critical stance toward this court stems from the conviction that justice, to be credible and sustainable, must be perceived as equal, inclusive and impartial. Any justice mechanism dealing with sensitive historical periods must be especially careful not to create the perception of selective justice or unequal treatment of victims and responsibilities.

Respect for the law and legal procedures does not exclude the right to institutional criticism. On the contrary, in a democratic society, the legitimacy of justice institutions is strengthened precisely through transparency, accountability and argued public debate,” she wrote on Facebook.

Pula said the Kosovo Liberation Army is part of a decisive chapter of our history and that criminal proceedings against individuals must not turn into a general trial of a movement, a historical period or a people’s aspiration for freedom.

“Therefore, while respecting everyone’s right to due process and all available legal remedies, we express our deep reservations about how this court was conceived and perceived, and about the consequences this may have for historical memory, public trust and the sense of justice.

The institution I lead is always available to assist research, inquiry and interpretation processes regarding data and facts about the war in Kosovo,” added the president of the Kosovo Academy of Sciences and Arts, Justina Shiroka-Pula.