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Monitoring missions
On 11
January 2005, following signals to the AHC by the media on a hunger strike
initiated by 35 detainees in the police station of Malėsi e Madhe, AHC
representatives held meetings to verify the case. The AHC contacted the head of
detention facilities in Malėsi e Madhe, the Shkodėr district prosecutor, as well
as with the two deputy Police Directors of Shkodėr. Based on verifications, it
resulted that the reason for the hunger strike of detainees was mainly poor
conditions in detention facilities, as well as the failure to transfer 8 persons
convicted through final court decisions who had remained in a detention
facility. Currently those convicted through final court decisions have been
transferred to institutions where they are serving their sentences.
On 21
March 2005, around 19:00, the AHC conducted an observation at the high
security prison No. 302 in Tiranė. The reason for the observation was an
anonymous letter by a group of convicts, sent to several newspaper offices, with
complaints for inhuman treatment and use of violence in the premises of this
prison. During the observation, meetings were held with the prison director and
the convicts being held in these facilities. Based on the meetings, it resulted
that there was no direct talk of violence and often their descriptions allowed
for doubts and many of them thought that the letter was exaggerated. The AHC
drew the attention of the General Directory of Prisons to conduct more frequent
monitoring missions in this institution.
On April 11, 2005,
the media made public claims by family members of the citizen Zef Prenga who was
being kept in detention rooms of the Mirdita police station, although he had
served the sentence rendered by the court. The AHC contacted the People’s
Advocate, as the family members had contacted that office.
On April 15, 2005,
the AHC correspondent in Korēė conducted an observation in detention rooms
of the Korēė police station to monitor the respect of detained persons’ rights.
On April 15, 2005,
the AHC, following a story in the media, conducted a verification mission in the
Fier police station regarding conditions in its rooms as well as regarding the
custody of 30 persons sentenced through final decisions in these premises. The
AHC contacted the General Directory of Prisons to pursue this case.
During June, following
the incident in Rehabilitation Institution 302, Tiranė, whereby some convicts
got poisoned, the AHC sent an observer to the prison hospital. The AHC held
meetings with convicts in the hospital as well as with other staff members of
this institution. The AHC sent a letter to the prison authorities making the
relevant recommendations.
On July 15, 2005,
based on complaints from some convicts in the Krujė Special institution,
received by the AHC, a sporadic monitoring mission was conducted in the
institution. The target of the monitoring mission was a series of claims by some
convicts that their correspondence was forbidden by the rehabilitation
institution, that there was subjectivism in carrying out transfers of convicts
from one prison to another, and complaints over the installment of iron nets on
cell windows stopping light and fresh air to come in. AHC representatives met
with senior representatives of the prison’s administration and with convicts who
had complained. Based on findings of the monitoring mission, the AHC informed
the General Directory of Prisons to verify the claims and undertake the
necessary measures in case of need.
On September 29, 2005,
following reports in the print media, the AHC became aware of a case claiming
inhumane conditions of detention cells in the Mirditė police station. The
newspaper story claimed that detainees, before being placed in the Lezhė prison,
spent a few days in inhuman conditions in the police station’s detention cells.
For that purpose, the AHC undertook a monitoring mission to verify closely the
situation of detention cells in the police station. Based on the verification,
as well as on meetings of AHC representatives with heads of the Mirditė police
station, it resulted information contained in the above report was not founded.
Detainees were not kept in these detention cells, but were transferred within 48
hours to the Lezhė prison.
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