The Kosovo war crimes tribunal has convicted former Kosovar President Hashim Thaci of four counts of war crimes committed during his country’s war for independence from Serbia.

Thaci, 58, was sentenced on Wednesday to 25 years in prison for ‌crimes, including murder, torture and illegal detention, committed as top commander of the ethnic Albanian Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) during the ⁠territory’s violent break ⁠from Serbia in the 1990s.

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The Kosovo Specialist Chambers (KSC) in The Hague, Netherlands, said he was ⁠guilty of the murder ⁠of 96 political ⁠opponents and perceived collaborators with Serbian security forces by the KLA during the conflict.

Thaci denied all the charges.

Wearing a suit and tie, he stood in silence as Presiding Judge Charles Smith read out the sentence.

Three former KLA senior commanders were also sentenced for several different charges.

Jakup Krasniqi was sentenced to 25 years in prison, Kadri Veseli was given 18 years, including the time he spent in custody, and Rexhep Selimi was sentenced to 13 years, including the time spent in custody.

The four men were acquitted on six charges of crimes against humanity because the judges said the prosecutors failed to prove that crimes were committed as part of a widespread and systematic attack on civilians.

Before reading the sentences, Judge Charles Smith referenced the severe torture and killings by the KLA.

“No flag is big enough to hide the shame of killing innocent people,” he said, citing a quote by American historian Howard Zinn.

The trial has been controversial within Kosovo as many Kosovan Albanians see the KLA and Thaci as revered figures because of their role in the 1998-99 independence war.

In Kosovo’s capital, Pristina, thousands of people watched the reading of the verdict live on a huge screen and were stunned at the sentence. Some started shouting slogans in support of the KLA and Thaci.