The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) acquitted former Kosovo prime minister Ramush Haradinaj of charges of crimes against humanity at the conclusion of his retrial on Thursday.
Presiding Judge Bakone Justice Moloto said the tribunal acquitted Haradinaj and two other indictees Lahi Brahimaj and Idriz Balaj of all responsibility and ordered their release.
Prosecutors had said Haradinaj had participated as a commander in the Kosovo Liberation Army in a criminal plan to drive Serbs out of the province, which at the time was ruled from Belgrade.
Judges in the retrial ruled that there was no evidence that Haradinaj and two accomplices had taken part in such a plan.
The first trial of the three Kosovo Albanians was held in 2008 when Haradinaj and Balaj were acquitted and Brahimaj was sentenced to six years in prison.
The Appeals Chamber quashed the verdict and ordered a retrial.
