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French Court Refuses to Extradite Former Kosovo Leader French Court Refuses to Extradite Former Kosovo Leader
(35 minutes later)
PARIS — A French court on Thursday turned down a Serbian request to extradite Ramush Haradinaj, a former guerrilla commander and prime minister of Kosovo who was arrested in France earlier this year. PARIS — A French court on Thursday turned down a Serbian request to extradite Ramush Haradinaj, a former guerrilla commander and prime minister of Kosovo who was arrested in France early this year.
The prosecutor at the court in Colmar, in eastern France, said in a statement that Mr. Haradinaj had been freed. The statement did not provide reasons for the ruling. The prosecutor at the court in Colmar, in eastern France, said in a statement that Mr. Haradinaj had been released. The statement did not provide reasons for the ruling.
It was unclear whether Serbia, which had put out the warrant for Mr. Haradinaj that led to his arrest, would appeal against the decision. Parties to the case have five days to do so. It was unclear whether Serbia, which had put out the warrant for Mr. Haradinaj that led to his arrest, would appeal the decision. Parties to the case have five days to do so.
Mr. Haradinaj was acquitted by a United Nations war crimes tribunal in 2008 and again in 2012 of charges that he had tortured and killed Serbs during Kosovo’s war for independence in the late 1990s, when he was a commander of the NATO-backed Kosovo Liberation Army.Mr. Haradinaj was acquitted by a United Nations war crimes tribunal in 2008 and again in 2012 of charges that he had tortured and killed Serbs during Kosovo’s war for independence in the late 1990s, when he was a commander of the NATO-backed Kosovo Liberation Army.
He was arrested in January by French border police at the Basel-Mulhouse airport, near the border with Switzerland, after arriving from Pristina. He was arrested in January by French border police at the Basel-Mulhouse airport, near the border with Switzerland, after arriving from Pristina. Kosovo.
Mr. Haradinaj was prime minister of Kosovo from 2004 to 2005, when it was administered by the United Nations. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, a move the Serbian authorities have not recognized. Mr. Haradinaj’s arrest has heightened tensions between the two countries.Mr. Haradinaj was prime minister of Kosovo from 2004 to 2005, when it was administered by the United Nations. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, a move the Serbian authorities have not recognized. Mr. Haradinaj’s arrest has heightened tensions between the two countries.
On Monday, the president of Albania granted Albanian citizenship to Mr. Haradinaj and his wife, allowing them to benefit from the country’s visa-free travel agreement with the 26 countries of the Schengen area. Ethnic Albanians make up an overwhelming majority of Kosovo’s population.On Monday, the president of Albania granted Albanian citizenship to Mr. Haradinaj and his wife, allowing them to benefit from the country’s visa-free travel agreement with the 26 countries of the Schengen area. Ethnic Albanians make up an overwhelming majority of Kosovo’s population.