The main objective of the visit was to review the progress made as regards implementation of the recommendations made by the Committee after previous visits. Particular attention was paid to the treatment and conditions of detention of persons in police custody and of inmates in several prison establishments. The CPT delegation also reviewed the situation of forensic psychiatric patients and prisoners with a mental disorder and examined, for the first time in Albania, the treatment of adult residents with intellectual disabilities in social care institutions.
In the course of the visit, the delegation held consultations with Klajdi Karameta, Deputy Minister of Justice, Mira Rakacolli, Deputy Minister of Health and Social Protection, and Admir Abrija, Director General of Prisons, as well as with other senior officials from the above-mentioned ministries, the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.
Discussions were also held with Erinda Ballanca, People’s Advocate, responsible for the National Preventive Mechanism set up under the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention against Torture (OPCAT). In addition, the delegation met representatives of the Tirana Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and of non-governmental organisations active in areas of concern to the CPT.
At the end of the visit, the delegation provided the Albanian authorities with its preliminary observations.
The visit was carried out by the following CPT members:
- Hans Wolff, 1st Vice-President of the CPT (Head of Delegation)
- Marios Anastasi
- Marie Kmecová
- Judith Öhri
- Vytautas Raškauskas
- Karin Rowhani-Wimmer
- Elisabetta Zamparutti
They were supported by Marco Leidekker (Head of Division) and Elvin Aliyev of the CPT Secretariat.
The delegation visited the following places of deprivation of liberty:
Police establishments
- Elbasan Police Station
- Fier Police Station
- Koplik Police Station
- Laç Police Station
- Lezha Police Station
- Shkodra Police Station
Prison establishments
- Fier Prison
- Peqin Prison
- Tepelena Prison
- Prison No. 313, Tirana
- Prison Hospital, Tirana (unit for female forensic psychiatric patients)
Psychiatric establishments
- Temporary facility for male forensic psychiatric patients at Lezha Prison
Social care establishments
- Durres Development Centre for Persons with Disabilities
- Shkodra Development Centre for Persons with Disabilities
