Recent concerns have been raised by civil society organisations and human rights observers regarding the use and duration of pre-trial detention, conditions of detention, and the treatment of defendants during court proceedings in Albania. Concerns of this nature have, for example, been raised in the case of Mr Ilir Meta, former President of Albania and leader of the Freedom Party of Albania, who has been held in pre-trial detention since October 2024 and has been placed in a glass enclosure during court hearings.
Mr Jensen
To ask the Committee of Ministers:
Considering the Council of Europe's standards relating to the rule of law, fair trial guarantees, and detention conditions, what assessment has the Committee of Ministers made of Albania’s compliance with its obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights and relevant Council of Europe recommendations in these areas?
In particular, how does the Committee of Ministers assess the safeguards in place in Albania to ensure that pre-trial detention is used only as a measure of last resort, is regularly reviewed by an independent court, and that detainees are treated in accordance with the Council of Europe’s standards on human rights, human dignity and fair trial guarantees, including during court proceedings?”