Kosovo passes law on war crimes court

August 4, 2015 at 5:12 a.m. | Updated August 4, 2015 at 5:15 a.m.

by Associated Press

Member of the opposition Ramush Haradinaj addresses Kosovo lawmakers during a debate passing constitutional amendments that would allow the establishment of a special court to prosecute its top leaders and former guerrilla fighters for war crimes in capital Pristina on Monday, Aug. 3, 2015. Kosovo's Parliament on Monday approved a constitutional amendment to set up a special court to prosecute former leaders over war crimes, including the killing of hundreds of Serb civilians. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)
Member of the opposition Ramush Haradinaj addresses Kosovo lawmakers during a debate passing constitutional amendments that would allow the establishment of a special court to prosecute its top leaders and former guerrilla fighters for war crimes in capital Pristina on Monday, Aug. 3, 2015. Kosovo's Parliament on Monday approved a constitutional amendment to set up a special court to prosecute former leaders over war crimes, including the killing of hundreds of Serb civilians. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)

PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) - Kosovo lawmakers have approved a law to set up a special war crimes court.

The overnight vote was the last hurdle for creating the legal body, which will have international judges and prosecutors try ethnic Albanian guerrillas for the alleged killing of civilian detainees, most of them Serbs immediately after the war ended in 1999.

The assembly voted 73-1 in favor of the law despite an opposition boycott. On Monday, the assembly amended the constitution so that the court could be created.

In 2010, a Council of Europe report claimed that leaders of the now disbanded Kosovo Liberation Army, including former Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, were responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Serbs, Roma and ethnic Albanians suspected of collaborating with Serbs. Thaci denies the claims.

Serbia rejects Kosovo's 2008 secession.

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