Kosovo court sentences man to six years for spying for Serbian intelligence

A man accused of spying for Serbian intelligence has been sentenced to six years in prison by the Basic Court of Pristina. Hysri Selimi, who previously served time for ISIS membership, will serve his new sentence after the verdict becomes final. His detention was extended despite his not guilty plea.

According to the indictment, Selimi worked for Serbia's Security Intelligence Agency (BIA) from November 2009 until his arrest in May 2025. He allegedly gathered sensitive information on former Kosovo Liberation Army members, wartime killings, and radicalized individuals involved in the Syrian conflict. The prosecution claims Selimi traveled to Syria in 2015 under BIA orders, joining ISIS to monitor ethnic Albanians within the group and report back to Serbian officials.

Upon returning to Kosovo and completing a prison sentence for terrorism-related offenses, Selimi reportedly re-established contact with the BIA. The indictment alleges he made regular trips to Serbia to meet with senior counter-terrorism officials, providing them with updates on Wahhabism's influence in Kosovo, mosque activities, and other security matters.