Open Letter and Scientific Resolution for the Release of Jakup Krasniqi Flamur Ɓuçpapaj

Open Letter and Scientific Resolution for the Release of Jakup Krasniqi
Flamur Ɓuçpapaj
The President of the Republic of Albania
The International Community and International Justice Bodies
The United Nations, the European Union, and Human Rights Organizations
Subject:
The Release of Jakup Krasniqi – Historian and Freedom Fighter, Unjustly Accused in The Hague
Honorable President and International Community,
We, the citizens of Albania and all Albanian territories, historians, academics, intellectuals, and engaged citizens, through this open letter, express our deep concern over the trial of Jakup Krasniqi, historian and former activist of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), currently in The Hague, accused unjustly as a “war criminal.”
Jakup Krasniqi is not a war criminal. He has been and remains a symbol of Albanian resistance, an intellectual and historian who fought for the protection of his people, for documenting the history of freedom, and for safeguarding national dignity.
The accusations against him are part of a campaign orchestrated by Serbian intelligence services, politically and propagandistically supported by Russian interests, aiming to criminalize the KLA and rewrite Kosovo’s history, equating the victim with the aggressor. This is not justice; this is historical revisionism and political instrumentalization of international trials.
. Historical Context of the Kosovo War
Between 1998 and 1999, the Albanian population of Kosovo faced a violent genocidal campaign by the Milosevic regime. Historical documents, UN reports, Human Rights Watch, and other international human rights organizations clearly state:
Hundreds of villages were burned; thousands of women and children were raped; over 13,000 civilians were killed.
Hundreds of thousands of Albanians were forcibly displaced and fled to refugee camps.
International attempts to stop the violence were delayed and ineffective.
In this context, the KLA was not a criminal organization, but a historical necessity to protect the Albanian population and secure the right to national survival.
. Historical and Scholarly Role of Jakup Krasniqi
. Biography and Historical CV
Historian and researcher of Kosovo Liberation War documents
Political activist and KLA spokesperson during the war
Chairman of the Kosovo Assembly after the conflict
Author of historical works and analyses on national identity and resistance
One of the architects of documenting and legitimizing the KLA internationally
. Contribution During the War
Jakup Krasniqi did not take up arms for power; he contributed to:
Documenting Serbian crimes against Albanians.
Protecting civilians and KLA fighters.
Ensuring international communication and promoting Kosovo’s cause globally.
Building political institutions after the war.
He was a moral and intellectual leader, not a commander directing massacres.
3. Legal and Scholarly Arguments for Krasniqi’s Release
. Principles of International Justice
International law on war crimes does not allow victims to be accused for lawful self-defense.
Selective prosecution against KLA figures violates the principles of historical conscience and equal justice.
. Evidence of Injustice
Many of the testimonies against Krasniqi are taken out of context and do not prove his involvement in any criminal act.
Documented Serbian crimes in Kosovo remain largely unpunished.
. Political Instrumentalization of Justice
The current process appears influenced by political and propagandistic pressures.
This undermines the credibility of international trials and the reputation of global justice.
. International Precedents and Historical Analysis
The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) judged individuals for documented crimes and clearly distinguished between victims and aggressors. Accusations against Krasniqi do not meet these criteria.
Reports from Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International highlight that many KLA figures were protectors of civilians and documenters of Serbian crimes, not criminals.
Scholarly analyses of war documents show that Russia and Serbia influenced evidence manipulation and instrumentalized trials for political purposes.
. Calls for Justice and Release
We urgently demand:
Immediate release of Jakup Krasniqi.
Proper recognition of the KLA as a liberation organization, not criminal.
Prosecution of Serbian crimes, not Albanian victims.
Protection of the integrity of the international justice system, free from political or geopolitical influence.
Safeguarding historical documentation and scholarly truth.
Message to the International Community
Kosovo’s history cannot be judged by states that denied Albanian rights. History cannot be erased with manipulated files. Freedom cannot be considered a crime.
Jakup Krasniqi is a symbol of resistance, knowledge, and historical integrity. He must be free.
. Conclusion and Declaration
We, the citizens of Albania and all Albanian territories, demand:
THE RELEASE OF JAKUP KRASNIQI.
Restoration of the right to historical documentation.
Protection of truth and international justice.
The KLA is all of Albania. Justice is freedom.