War crimes prosecutors have asked judges to impose a 45-year prison sentence on Kosovo's former president, Reuters reports, one of the longest sentences ever sought against a former head of state before an international war crimes tribunal.

The requested term of 45 years amounts, in practical effect, to life imprisonment given the defendant's age, and marks the culmination of the prosecution's sentencing submissions in a case that has shadowed Kosovo's political class for years.

What did prosecutors ask the court to do?

Prosecutors requested a 45-year custodial sentence after convicting, or trying, the former president on war crimes charges. The figure anchors the state's — here, the international prosecution's — assessment of the gravity of the underlying conduct. Sentences of this magnitude are rare in international criminal justice, where convicted former heads of state have historically received terms ranging from roughly 20 to 50 years.

The former president denied the charges. His defence team has yet to file, or has not yet completed, its sentencing submissions.

What does the requested sentence mean for practitioners?

For defence counsel, a 45-year request signals that prosecutors regard the aggravating factors as squarely at the top of the scale. Expect sentencing litigation to focus on mitigating circumstances, credit for time served in detention, and comparative sentencing practice from the ad hoc tribunals and the ICC. For observers of Balkans accountability, the outcome will test whether international tribunals continue to hand down de facto life terms for political and military leaders convicted of wartime crimes.

What happens next?

The court will hear from the defence before the bench fixes a final sentence. Judges are not bound by the prosecution's figure and may impose any lawful term up to life imprisonment, depending on the tribunal's statute.

The sentence request keeps Kosovo's wartime legacy — and the accountability of its senior leadership — at the centre of international criminal law.