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Meeting of AHC representatives with Mr. Fatmir Xhafa, Minister of Justice
February, 10, 2004
Assessing the role of the Ministry of Justice in reforming judicial system in Albania, at the instance of the Albanian Helsinki Committee (AHC), on February, 10, 2004 a meeting was arranged with Mr. Fatmir Xhafa, Minister of Justice. In this meeting, AHC was represented by Ms. Vasilika Hysi, AHC Executive Director, Mr. Niazi Jaho, AHC legal counsellor and Ms. Edlira Papavangjeli, programs’ coordinator.
During the meeting there were discussed different problems identified by AHC during its activity. The main problems that were discussed was the progress in the process of transferring the detention places under the dependency of the Ministry of Justice, the problem of
the psychic diseased unfairly kept in detention rooms, the extradition of the Albanian convicts from the Greek and Italian prisons, their hunger strikes etc. AHC raised the question that the transfer of the Albanian convicts from the prisons of the other countries and combating crime in Albania would lead to an overpopulation of the detention rooms and prisons, which required drafting of a
long-term strategy but also an efficient criminal policy.
Another issue of significance submitted for discussion on the part of the AHC representatives, was the request of the latter that the Ministry of Justice must solicit the opinion of civil society about the draft-laws related to the human rights and freedoms and for potential changes in the Code of Criminal Procedure as well as in the Criminal Code.
Part of the meeting was the presentation of AHC activity in the field of the observance of citizens rights in the judicial system and the presentation of the research outputs that this Committee has done to the legislation
and the practice of the execution of the criminal verdicts, in the context of the initiative of the civil society against corruption ACAC with MSI and USAID support.
In this meeting it was discussed about the potentials that the Committee has as regards the reform in the prison system. The Minister of Justice was presented with the forthcoming initiative of the AHC in assisting the penitentiary reform in Albania in two areas:
monitoring all the penitentiary institutions in Albania and coming forth with reports and recommendations for better observance of the rights and treatment of the pre-detainees and convicts; and the second area will be offering operational assistance to the Albanian Prison Service for a good management of the penitentiary institutions in Albania.
The Minister of Justice on his part showed willingness to cooperate with the Committee and its representatives were briefed about the reforms undertaken by the Ministry related to the extradition procedures application,
training of the administrators, establishment of the legal reform commissions under the auspices of the Ministry of Justice, achievement of some reforms in the law system, close cooperation with the media about a better access to information of the citizens and enhancing of the transparency on the part of this Ministry.
In conclusion of the meeting both parties confirmed the strengthening the future cooperation and that the Albanian Helsinki Committee will continue the monitoring detention places and prisons and the observance of the citizens rights from the judicial administration.
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