The Political Suppression of Albanian Mayor Erion Veliaj: A Year in Detention

Today marks a solemn milestone in Albania's political landscape: one year since the unjust and illegal detention of Erion Veliaj, the mayor of Tirana, by the country's Special Prosecution Office against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK). Over the past year, Veliaj’s case has exemplified the rampant abuse of pre-trial detention in Albania, raising serious concerns about the integrity of the legal system.

Mayor Veliaj remains incarcerated despite the glaring absence of evidence indicating any risk of flight, obstruction of justice, or further criminal activity related to the allegations against him. His situation stands as a stark reminder of how young democracies can trample on the fundamental right to a fair trial through politically motivated prosecutions.

From February to July last year, Veliaj was held without being formally charged with any specific crimes. In September, the Tirana City Council even attempted to remove him from office, using his detention as justification. This move effectively sought to disenfranchise the voters who elected him to represent them. The actions against Veliaj appear to symbolize an alarming trend in Albania's political sphere, wherein the rights of elected officials are sacrificed on the altar of power.

Last month, Mayor Veliaj, who has chosen to represent himself against the accusations brought by SPAK, was denied access to over 60,000 pages of evidence crucial for his defense preparation. The prosecution claims that his continued detention is justified due to his decision to hire US legal representatives, suggesting a punitive approach to his choice of defense.

"From day one, this case has showcased politically motivated prosecution, marked by egregious violations of fair trial principles. Today marks a full year of this ongoing injustice," stated Daniel J. Fetterman, a partner at Kasowitz, and one of Veliaj's international legal counsels. "The treatment of Mayor Veliaj falls far below any acceptable American and European standards of justice and due process."

Encouragingly, signs indicate that the treatment of Veliaj has not gone unnoticed. In November, the Albanian Constitutional Court rejected the city council’s attempt to remove him from office, affirming his mandate and ensuring he remains in office until 2027. Albanian media have drawn attention to SPAK's oppressive tactics against Veliaj, describing it as a repressive mentality echoing the "new Chinese revolution," relying on state-sponsored propaganda to justify civil rights violations. Similar sentiments have been echoed in international media, such as EU Reporter, which highlighted the "slow decay of the Albanian judicial system" in a case that demonstrates "clear signs of political motivation" and fails to meet European standards.

In December, Albania’s Ombudsman acknowledged that the security measures during Veliaj's medical care in detention were excessive and violated his privacy rights. Moreover, the international community has publicly criticized the errors in Veliaj’s ongoing detention. 76 mayors and representatives from the "Balkan Cities Network B40," spanning various political parties and ideologies, co-signed a letter condemning the detention of Veliaj. They cited conclusions from the Venice Commission's report, underscoring that the use of investigative detention against sitting mayors poses a serious risk to democratic governance, effectively stripping citizens of their political representation by sidelining their elected officials without due process.

It is imperative that the detention of Mayor Veliaj comes to an end. His continued incarceration and the erosion of his fundamental rights to a fair trial, including access to evidence against him, negate Albania's democratic commitments and raises serious doubts about the progress of its reforms, potentially jeopardizing its aspirations for EU accession.

World leaders, democratic organizations, and media outlets must continue to highlight this injustice and call for the immediate release of Erion Veliaj from detention. Justice and democratic integrity in Albania depend on a fair resolution to this troubling case.