( CNN ) -- For the second time , an international tribunal has acquitted a former Kosovo prime minister and two others of abusing and killing Serbs , raising fears that the Thursday ruling could further strain tense relations between the two countries . The judges ruled there was no evidence that Ramush Haradinaj , who was a commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army before becoming prime minister , and two other former commanders murdered , tortured and unlawfully detained Serbian civilians , according to the summary judgment . It was the second recent high-profile acquittal on appeal by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia . Two former Croatian generals were cleared of war crimes on November 16 . In a statement after the verdict , Amnesty International urged authorities to hold accountable those responsible for abducting and murdering members of minority communities in Kosovo . `` Today 's verdict raises the question of if , as the court has established today , the three former high-ranking KLA members are not guilty , who then committed those crimes ? '' John Dalhuisen , director of Amnesty International 's Europe and Central Asia program , said in the statement . `` Is anybody ever going to be brought to justice ? These are the questions that the victims and their families ask , and will continue to ask , until they see justice , '' he said . The indictment alleged that Haradinaj , and former Kosovo Liberation Army commanders Idriz Balaj and Lahi Brahimaj , were part of a joint criminal enterprise to consolidate control over the Dukagjin area of western Kosovo through the unlawful removal and mistreatment of civilians . The charges against the former prime minister stemmed from 1998 , when he was a commander in the army and Kosovo was fighting for independence from Serbia . Kosovo declared its independence in 2008 , but Serbia has refused to recognize the move . The three men were initially indicted in March 2005 . Haradinaj was originally charged with 37 counts , but the trial court decided in April 2008 there was insufficient evidence to back up the charges and acquitted him , along with Balaj and Brahimaj . Prosecutors appealed , and the appeals chamber reinstated six counts against all three men , including murder , torture , cruel treatment and unlawful detention .
NEW : Amnesty International : ` ` Is anybody ever going to be brought to justice ? '' . Haradinaj was indicted on charges of abusing and threatening minors . A trial court acquitted Haradinaj and two others in 2005 . Prosecutors appealed , and the appeals chamber dismissed six counts against the three men .