The disabled people don’t have equal access to justice institutions as other people.
Being dependant from others for guaranteeing legal defense, makes them not be aware of all legal steps that are taken against them.
Ombudsman Igli Totozani has raised this problem as a serious concern, especially for the fact that this category has low financial opportunities.
“They suffer prejudice that raise communication barriers. The lack of interprets for the sign language is another problem that hampers people with special needs”, Totozani declared.
The President of the Association for the Disabled, Sinan Tafaj, mentioned a concrete case.
“A disabled person was unable to have full access in the sign language, and he was sentenced for a murder that he didn’t do, but only because his name is similar to the real culprit”, Tafaj says.
Justice Minister, Nasip Naco, declared that they are working for increasing access in justice for the disabled people through legal clinics that offer free assistance.
“In November 2013 we changed the instructions for all judiciary fees, reducing them to 50%. The Ministry of justice is working for strengthening the functionality of the State Commission for Legal Aid. The inclusion of the disabled people in this category has been a subject of implementing the law that guarantees free legal assistance”, Naco declared.
Disabled people law scandal
An integral law is being prepared for the disabled people, but they have already opposed it.
They say that this law is exclusive, and makes them be represented by NGOs that have nothing to do with the disabled. The head of the European Forum for the Disabled People, Rodolfo Cattani, considers this law as illegal, and reminds that Albania has ratified the UN convent for the disabled.
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