The Anti-Terrorism Directorate has arrested a 33-year-old man and initiated criminal proceedings against 17 persons for calling for and inciting violent acts on social networks during the protests of the past two weeks, while referring materials for 8 other cases to the Prosecutor’s Office.
According to a police statement, 33-year-old Elton Xhura was arrested for the criminal offense of “Spreading false information that causes panic.” He is suspected of sending a threatening message to the Facebook account of a private entity, regarding the placement of bombs in 3 different buildings of the entity.
Among the persons proceeded against is also 37-year-old Gent Progni, suspected of publishing personal data, photos and videos of police officers, as well as posts with threatening content against state institutions.
Another person, 34 years old, is suspected of calling for violence on Instagram and of opening an account to collect funds, claiming that his life was in danger. Meanwhile, a 51-year-old is suspected of offering money for carrying out violent acts against members of parliament and members of the Council of Ministers. Police say work continues to identify the administrators of other suspected accounts.
Statement of the Anti-Terrorism Directorate
1 citizen has been arrested, 17 citizens have been criminally proceeded against, and materials have been referred to the Prosecutor’s Office for 8 cases to identify the perpetrators of calls and incitement to unlawful acts in the context of the violent protests of the past 2 weeks.
As a result of investigative and procedural actions carried out by the specialized structures of Anti-Terrorism, in cooperation with the Cybercrime Investigation Directorate and the General Jurisdiction prosecutors, regarding public calls made on social networks with unlawful, violent and threatening content, in the context of violent protests held in Tirana and in several districts, since 13 October 2026:
– citizen E. Xh., 33 years old, resident of Tirana, was detained for the criminal offense of “Spreading false information that causes panic,” after being suspected of sending a threatening message to the Facebook account of a private entity regarding the placement of bombs in 3 different buildings of the entity.
• Also, materials were referred to the prosecutor’s office for the citizens:
– A. K., 34 years old, for the criminal offense of “Public calls for violent acts,” for calling on Instagram for violent acts during the protests of the past weeks.
Additionally, this citizen is suspected, by deceiving citizens that his life was in danger, of opening a “GoFundMe” account to collect funds.
During the check, this citizen was found to have a document (press card) presenting him as a journalist, in order to avoid restrictions and escort by the Police. The document was seized as material evidence;
– E. N., 51 years old, resident of Shëngjin, for the criminal offenses of “Public calls for violent acts” and “Calls for national hatred,” for posting videos on social networks through which he offered sums of money for carrying out violent acts against elected representatives of the Assembly of the Republic of Albania and members of the Council of Ministers;
-G. P., 37, charged with the criminal offences of “Unlawful interference in private life” and “Stalking”, after repeatedly publishing personal data, photographs and videos of State Police employees, with insulting, denigrating and accusatory comments. These publications, made mainly in the context of the protests of recent weeks and exposing to protesters the identity of police officers engaged in ensuring public order and safety, create a risk to the lives, safety and families of the police officers, and encourage acts of intimidation, threats and/or violence.
Also, posts containing threatening warnings against state institutions, as well as calls to identify other citizens, were found on the account administered by the 37-year-old, raising concern about the consequences that the dissemination of such information on social networks may cause;
-A. G., 56, a resident of Tirana, charged with the criminal offences of “Public incitement to violent acts” and “Incitement of hatred and discord”, after posting photographs and texts through which he called for violent acts during the protests of recent weeks;
-A. A., 50, a resident of Tirana, charged with the criminal offences of “Dissemination of anti-constitutional writings” and “Public calls for violent acts”, after posting on his Facebook account a text with anti-constitutional content;
-O. M., 20, a resident of Tirana, charged with the criminal offences of “Organising and participating in unlawful gatherings and demonstrations” and “Dissemination of anti-constitutional writings”, after hanging, during a protest, a banner bearing a Nazi symbol on the main facade of the Polytechnic University;
-A. L., 39, R. R., 28, L. Xh., 24, E. B., 36, O. Rr., 46, D. A., 39, E. Q., 22, D. K., 26, A. B., 42, M. Ç., 18, and A. Ll., 24, charged with the criminal offence of “Public calls for violent acts”, after calling, through posts, messages and/or comments on their accounts on various online communication platforms, for violent acts during the gatherings of recent weeks.
Also, materials were referred to the prosecution for 7 accounts on various online communication platforms, for the criminal offence of “Public calls for violent acts”, after posts, messages and/or comments calling for violent acts during the protests of recent weeks were published on them;
-materials were referred to the Prosecution for 1 account on the social network “Instagram”, for the criminal offences of “Public calls for violent acts” and “Spreading false information that causes panic”, after posts calling for violent acts during the gatherings of recent weeks were published on it.
Work is ongoing to identify and bring to criminal responsibility the administrators of these accounts and other citizens linked to them.
Procedural materials have been referred to the competent prosecutors’ offices for further action.