Members of the Tirana Municipal Council have submitted a formal request to the General Directorate of Prisons, the Ministry of Justice and the Ombudsman regarding the transfer of Erion Veliaj from pretrial detention in Durrës to that in Fier, and the conditions of his detention. In the document, they call for transparency on the reasons for the transfer, respect for the legal and human rights of the Mayor of Tirana, and verification of any possible restrictions on communication with family members and legal counsel. According to the request, the fact that Veliaj is in pretrial detention should not serve as a justification for inhumane treatment or for restricting the rights guaranteed to him by law.
“The Mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, remains the elected head of the institution, with a mandate also confirmed by the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Albania. Despite his detention, the constitutional and legal mandate of the Mayor has not been interrupted. Consequently, the functioning of the institution must be guaranteed in line with the powers that the law grants to the mayor and to other local self-government bodies.”
The latest transfer of Mr. Veliaj from the detention facility in Durrës to that in Fier has created a new circumstance, moving him further away from the seat of the institution he leads and raising reasonable concerns about the possibility of communication, administration of documentation and the exercise of his powers.
This additional distance, together with the restrictions arising from the detention regime, calls for a concrete assessment of the consequences this may have on the functioning of the Municipality of Tirana.
Regarding the transfer and detention conditions of the Mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, we, the councillors of the Municipality of Tirana, express our deep concern over the unexpected transfer of the Mayor, Mr. Erion Veliaj, from the detention facility in Durrës to that in Fier, as well as the harsh conditions in which he is reportedly being held.
Our concern becomes even more serious following the visit of the Ombudsman to the Fier institution, where issues requiring verification and immediate institutional intervention have been raised.
Erion Veliaj is a detained citizen who enjoys the presumption of innocence and all the rights that the Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights recognize for every individual. He is also the elected Mayor of the Municipality of Tirana, whose mandate has been confirmed by the Constitutional Court.
No pretrial detention measure can serve as a justification for inhuman or degrading treatment, for arbitrary restrictions on communication with family and legal counsel, or for unjustified obstacles to receiving healthcare.
For these reasons, we request from the Ministry of Justice and the General Directorate of Prisons:
Immediate transparency on the legal and factual reasons for the transfer.
Guarantee of detention conditions in line with legal and European standards, and an immediate assessment of health needs.
Full respect for the right to communicate with family members and legal counsel.
Verification and removal of any unjustified restriction that obstructs the exercise of his rights.
We ask the Ombudsman to make public, within legal limits, the findings and recommendations of the inspection carried out. As members of the Municipal Council, we also have the responsibility to demand that the situation created does not produce unlawful obstacles to the functioning of the Municipality of Tirana and the exercise of the powers of its mayor.
We do not seek privileges for Erion Veliaj. We demand respect for the law, human dignity and the rights that belong to every citizen. Justice cannot be exercised by undermining human dignity. And no public institution can remain indifferent in the face of serious claims of violation of these rights”.