Protesters clash with police over Kosovo war crimes court law

PRISTINA, Oct 5 - Protesters clashed with police outside Kosovo's government and parliament buildings on Monday, calling for lawmakers to pass legislation that would limit the powers of a Kosovo war crimes court in The Hague.

The protest came weeks after the court sentenced former President Hashim Thaci and three others to a combined 81 years in prison for war crimes.

Police fired tear gas and used water cannon to disperse demonstrators who threw firecrackers and stones at officers guarding parliament and government buildings in central Pristina.

At least 17 people were injured, including six police officers, police said. Three protesters were detained.

Earlier in the day, lawmakers approved the first reading of amendments to a law that established the Kosovo war crimes court in The Hague. Demonstrators later blocked parliament, preventing lawmakers from leaving and demanding a second vote which is needed to pass the legislation.

The clash underscores deep anger in Kosovo over the court's conviction of former fighters who are considered heroes and highlights growing divisions in parliament in one of Europe's poorest nations.

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.

The proposed changes faced skepticism from Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

"We consider these moves to amend the law on the Specialist Chambers rushed and insufficiently analysed and thought through," Kurti told parliament.

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).

Kosovo established the Specialist Chambers in The Hague in 2015 under international pressure to prosecute former ethnic Albanian Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) fighters for alleged crimes committed during and after Kosovo's 1998-99 war with Serbia.

The court last month found Thaci, 58, guilty of war crimes including murder, torture and illegal detention, sentencing him to 25 years in prison for crimes committed as a senior commander of the KLA during the conflict.

Thaci and the three co-defendants have appealed the verdict. REUTERS