Council of Europe, Concerned for January 21st

25/09/2013 00:00

Nils Muiznieks, Commissioner of the Human Rights at the Council of
Europe, expressed his concern about the way how the January 21st event
has been treated. He asked the Albanian justice authorities to
investigate the people who have contaminated the evidence.

After ending a visit in Tirana, the Commissioner declared in a press conference that the January 21st remains a major test that is being followed closely by the international community.

“The position held by me and the Council of Europe is very clear: those who have violated human rights cannot stay without being punished and should be responsible for what have done. A series of people have been involved in this event, and they were not brought to justice yet. There are data that the investigation might not have been held as it should, and the evidence were destroyed. Those who were responsible for contaminating the evidence should be investigated and brought to justice. The Prosecutor General informed me that the investigation for destroying the evidence is still undergoing and has not ended yet. We were also promised that we would be informed about this investigation and for the developments of this matter at court”, Muiznkieks declared.

“Justice and law implementation in Albania are in danger by early structural problems that have brought the public’s trust at almost zero. In these conditions, Commissioner Muzinieks expressed his support to the Rama government in all efforts to reform the justice system, by declaring:

“I have welcomed the tendency to continue the justice system reform. The new government is facing a challenge and a historic opoprtunity to bring the necessary changes, so that the rule of law and the human rights can be protected. Important reforms in the justice system has been predicted, in order to improve the efficiency of courts, to reinforce the impartiality and independence of judges. Some of these reforms need to be followed by a new legislation for regulating the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court and the High Council of Justice. In this context, I encourage the authorities to seek expertise from the Venice Commission and the European Council”, the Commissioner declared.

Commissioner Muiznieks also mentioned other issues that are related with the law enforcing agencies.

“The lack of an independent surveillance for the law enforcing institutions, especially for the corruption and mistreatment cases, has increased impunity and has brought down the citizens’ trust in this key sector. I have welcomed the determination of the Interior Minister for addressing to these serious problems. Removing 81 traffic police officials for corruption reasons is also a positive step”, Muiznieks.

The Commissioner has valued the role of the Ombudsman in defending the human rights.

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