Tens of thousands of people marched through Kosovo's capital on Tuesday, protesting against the war crimes trial of the country's former president and other ex-guerrillas.
The rally, held on the country's Independence Day, came ahead of the final hearing in the trial of its former president and political leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), Hashim Thaci, along with three senior figures of the rebel movement.
All four face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity over their alleged responsibility for killings, torture and other abuses committed by members of the ethnic Albanian rebel group during the 1990s Kosovo War.
But many in the country still see Thaci and his co-accused as national heroes for leading Kosovo's separatist fight against Serb forces, and there has been backlash against the trial, which is being held in The Hague.
Waving red flags emblazoned with the yellow and black crest of the KLA, crowds chanted the militia's name as they marched in falling snow through Pristina's downtown.
Aerial images broadcast by local media showed protesters filling a main square and several surrounding streets.
Organisers, who are supporters of Thaci's political party, labelled it the "largest march in the history of Kosovo". President Vjosa Osmani also joined the rally.
The trial of Thaci and other defendants before Kosovo's Specialist Chambers (KSC) in The Hague has been hearing closing statements -- the last stage before it retires to decide a verdict.
Alongside the ex-president are former senior KLA figures including its intelligence chief Kadri Veseli, operations chief Rexhep Selimi and spokesman Jakup Krasniqi.
The prosecutor is seeking a 45-year sentence for each.
- 'Our heroes' -
Many war veterans attended the rally in uniform, carrying banners with pictures of Thaci and Veseli.
"They are our heroes. They have to be released because Kosovo still needs them," architecture student Daut Hasani told AFP.
Months of campaigning by Thaci's supporters has seen huge billboards with messages of support for the men erected around the country.
"The KLA was the response of a people that was disappearing," said former KLA fighter Muamer Ibrahimi.
"Today, when I see this sea of people, I know that those in The Hague are not alone."
Earlier, Prime Minister Albin Kurti mentioned the accused in an address marking the 18th anniversary of Kosovo's independence, saying: "The contribution of each of them to freedom and independence is precious."
"History will be the one to make the right judgement," he said.
- Serbia's role -
The KLA emerged in the 1990s in response to growing oppression of the ethnic Albanian population in Kosovo, then a Serbian province.
They led Kosovo's separatist fight in the 1998-1999 war, which ended with a NATO intervention that forced the withdrawal of Serb forces.
Evidence provided at the trial by Serbia, which has never recognised Kosovo's independence, is particularly sensitive because of the scale of atrocities committed by the Serb police and military during the conflict.
Thousands of ethnic Albanian victims were discovered in mass graves after the war, and a separate court has sentenced several former Serbian military and police officials for war crimes.
But the indictment against Thaci and the other defendants alleges that KLA members also committed crimes against hundreds of civilians and non-combatants at detention sites in Kosovo and northern Albania.
The victims, it says, included Serbs, Roma and Kosovo Albanians deemed political opponents.
Established by the country's parliament, the KSC investigates and prosecutes suspected war crimes committed by ethnic Albanian guerrillas during the war.
Although part of Kosovo's judicial system, it is physically located in the Netherlands and staffed solely by international judges in a bid to protect witnesses from possible retribution at home.
Closing statements from the accused, including Thaci, are scheduled for Wednesday.
