In August 2020, legal changes coming into force removed the powers of the penitentiary system to retain and treat persons suffering from mental health problems.
Despite this, the law has not yet been implemented and more than 300 citizens for whom various courts have imposed compulsory mental treatment continue to be treated as ordinary prisoners.
Feim Isufaj, Deputy General Director of Prisons says: “Due to Covid-19, Lezha is being kept at dependence of the situation so we wait to hear from the Ministry of Health how it will act after they take over direction.”
Albania continues to be criticized for the treatment of inmates in Zaharia prison, but although the Lezha building was invested to be used as transitional premises, in fact Covid-19 is being used as an excuse, as this building is not yet functional.
It is ascertained as a violation the non-observance of the decision of the Strasbourg court in the case of the prisoner Strazimiri, and the Albanian state was fined for the treatment of this citizen as an ordinary prisoner.
In another case, women arrested for various offences for which compulsory treatment was imposed, were relocated during the pandemic to the premises of a canteen in the detention centre.
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