FOURTH REPORT OF THE MONITORING VIsITs BY ARCT PRIsON ...

MAPPING PRISONS... 

Fourth Report on Monitoring Prisons 

Conditions and Human Rights 

Tirana, December 2010

Fourth Report of the Monitoring VISITS by ARCT 

prison conditions and basic rights 

Fourth Report of 

the Monitoring VISITS by ARCT 


Tirana, December 2010 

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Copyright © 2010, Albanian Rehabilitation Centre for 

Trauma and torture 

Supported by grants from the European Commission- RCT 

(EIDHR)/ Support to Human Rights and Democracy actions on 

Torture and other forms of ill-treatment/ Prevention of Torture. 

Electronic copies of this report can be downloaded from 

the ARCT’s website, www.arct.org . 

Albanian Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma and torture 

Rruga Kont Urani, 10, 

Tirana albania 

ARCT Staff 

Adrian Kati 

Executive director 

Ariel Como, Dr. 

Erinda Bllaca, MA 

Anisa Asllanaj 

Tedi Mana 

Izedin Cela 

Fatos Mahmutaj 

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CONTENTS 

Key Problems 

Examination of reports on criminal justice in 17 

facilities in Albania to the following observations 

and identification of key problems 

Monitoring Places of Detention 

Methodologies 

Structure 

Reporting 

Charters 

Table 

Annexes from Monitoring 

shen koll 

Kukes 

Fushe Kruja 

PRISONS HOPSITAL 

Korca 

Rrogozhina 

Peqini 

Tepelena 

Berat 

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Vlore 

Ali Demi Tirana 

Jordan Misja Tirana 

Durres 

Kavaja 

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Key Problems 

Examination of reports on criminal justice in 17 

facilities in Albania to the following observations 

and identification of key problems. 

Overcrowding 

Official figures show that 12 penitentiary institutions 

have prison populations that exceed 120% of 

capacity (please advice the table on official data as 

per December 4 th 2010). 

These figures are the result of tough legislation 

passed and also implemented and delays to utilize 

alternatives to incarceration in permanent basis. 

Overcrowding inevitably consumes nearly all 

resources. Little is left for rehabilitation programs, 

sanitation, hygiene, and food. The result is increased 

disorder, violence, and corruption. 

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Un-sentenced Prisoners 

The justice system does a poor job of providing 

due process for the accused. By ARCT official data 

(collected through more than 890 questionnaires 

and 200 interviews with prisoners from 21 

penitentiary institutions), prisons in Tirana, Durrës 

and Korça in the pre-trial detention have more than 

45% of their prisoners as pretrial detainees. Slow 

processing of criminal cases and inadequate legal 

defense lead to systemic violation of due process 

rights, particularly international time limits on 

pre-trial detention. 

Inhumane Conditions 

Many Albanian penitentiary facilities of all sizes 

and security levels provide inadequate food, 

general health care, and mental health care, and fail 

to meet basic needs such as sanitary facilities and 

mattresses; the situation continues to be reported at 

the worst levels in Prison 313 in Tirana, which even 

measures taken, ARCT has evidence the presence of 

mices at the women section (despite the degrading 

conditions and lack of spaces for activities); poor 

infrastructure remains degrading for the Women’s 

Prisons 325; lack of special sections for the female 

minors remain an issue of concerns. 

Violence and Crime 

As crowding has a trend in increasing (when 

considering the new process of expatriation of the 

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convicts in all countries of Europe), so has prison 

violence - with physical abuse, gang domination, 

rape (a reported case of a juvenile offender in 

Korça), and riots increasingly common (the Korça 

hunger Strike of October). Narcotics trafficking, 

underreported prostitution, and other criminal 

enterprises such as the presence of illegal weapons 

and tools (the Fushe-Kruja case) are prevalent in 

too many prisons. Guards who receive inadequate 

salaries and training are too often susceptible 

to corruption or use excessive force to quell 

disturbances (the Korça case). 

With too few guards, parts of some prisons are 

inadequately patrolled, and left to the mercies of 

powerful inmates. Inmates denouncing abuses 

can face retribution. Too often brutality does not 

prompt investigations or preventative measures. 

Society and Human Rights 

Increases in violent crime and recidivism for the 

category of inmates aged 18-21– real or the product 

of sensational media coverage –have led to more 

support for more incarceration. 

The needs of the incarcerated for restorative 

approaches, particularly education, addiction 

treatment, and job training are too often ignored. 

This lack, together with systemic overcrowding, 

poor infrastructure and inhuman and degrading 

conditions, physical and mental abuse in prisons, 

all are well known to authorities. Such deficiencies 

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often reflect the criminal justice system’s 

inadequacy: excessive and misguided penalties, 

poor due process, weak criminal defense, lack of 

strong reliable data, inadequate trial procedures, 

and weak oversight. 

The result often is the failure to rehabilitate, and 

the reinforcement of criminal tendencies, which 

surely plague communities upon the release of 

those thus trained. 

What Works 

According the fact finding missions and reports and 

joint statements of ARCT with the NPM (People’s 

Advocate):”Albania’s prisons do not address the 

rehabilitation of inmates. There are no socialization 

programs that would promote reform of prisoners’ 

violent ways, reduce tensions, and prepare them 

for life after release. 

According to the statement of the Minister of 

Justice after his visit in Fushë-Kruja Prison (2010), 

a considerable number of released prisoners return 

to crime and end up back in jail.” 

A notable exception is the case of Women’s Prison in 

Tirana‚ where the prison managements has created 

a new “mentality” as an open prison for 63 women 

offenders in this facility. This Prison has developed 

initiatives and an internal regime to help prepare 

female offenders “for life outside prison through 

a combination of psychological, educational, and 

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creative support programs.” Emphasis was placed 

on developing work skills, parenting, changes in 

the methodologies of foster care and employment 

of some of these inmates. 

OPCAT 

Reaffirming that freedom from torture is a right 

that must be protected in all circumstances, and 

based on the premise that regular visits to places 

of detention is one of the most effective means 

to prevent torture and improve conditions of 

detention, the United Nations adopted on 18 

December 2002 a novel international treaty for the 

prevention of torture: the Optional Protocol to the 

UN Convention Against Torture (OPCAT). 

The OPCAT entered into force on 22 of June 2006 

and is the culmination of over two decades of joint 

efforts by civil society and friendly States. 

The OPCAT is the first international instrument 

which seeks to prevent torture and other forms of 

ill-treatment though the establishment of a system 

of regular visits to places of detention carried out 

by independent international and national bodies. 

International and national bodies will work together 

to conduct regular visits to all places of detention in 

all States Parties and will make recommendations 

to the authorities to establish effective measures to 

prevent torture and ill-treatments and to improve 

the conditions of detention of all persons deprived 

of liberty. 

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At the international level, the OPCAT creates a 

new international preventive body, called the UN 

Subcommittee for the Prevention of Torture. At 

the national level, States Parties have to create or 

designate NPM within one year after they ratify. 

As 2010’ {best practice} remains the cooperation the 

Albanian NPM (People’s Advocate Office) which 

has offered a possibility of raising awareness on 

importance of the services to be provided at all 

levels for all persons deprived of their liberty. 

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Monitoring Places of Detention 

Experience- sharing on how to actually design and 

carry out programs of visits 

Transparency and independent control of the public 

administration form part of any system based on 

the principles of democracy and the rule of law. 

This is especially true in the case of monitoring 

the power of the State to deprive people of their 

liberty. Monitoring the treatment and conditions 

of detention of persons deprived of their liberty 

through unannounced and regular visits is one of 

the most effective means of preventing torture and 

ill-treatment. 

The idea of external and independent monitoring 

places of detention has made considerable progress 

over the past few years. It is now widely accepted 

that one of the best safeguards against torture and 

ill-treatment is for places of detention consistently 

to be as transparent as possible, allowing regular 

access by reputable members of the public. This 

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positive evolution is reflected in the adoption 

on 18 December 2002 of the Optional Protocol to 

the United Nations Convention against Torture 

(OPCAT), whose objective is “to establish a system 

of regular visits undertaken by independent 

international and national bodies to places where 

people are deprived of their liberty, in order 

to prevent torture and other cruel, inhuman or 

degrading treatment or punishment”. 

Under the OPCAT, the main obligation to prevent 

torture lies at the domestic level, as State Parties 

will have to “set up, designate or maintain one or 

several national preventive mechanisms”. New 

mechanisms will need to be set up or existing 

mechanisms will have to be adjusted in line with 

the OPCAT criteria. 

This development should not exclude or be 

detrimental to other forms of monitoring at the 

domestic level. In this context, the present practical 

guide aims to serve as a useful tool for promoting 

effective preventive visits by any monitoring group 

or body at the national level. 

This guide addresses any person or body entitled to 

monitor and carry out visits to places of detention at 

the national level. The overall objective of the guide 

is to promote effective domestic visiting monitors 

by increasing their professionalism and thus 

their impact in preventing torture and improving 

conditions of detention, for the purposes: 

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• T o p r o v i d e c o n c r e t e a d v i c e a n d 

recommendations on the methodology 

of visits through the different steps 

(preparation, implementation and followup); 

• To promote cooperation between different 

domestic visiting bodies, as well as between 

national and international bodies; 

• To present in a practical, thematic way the 

different international standards relevant 

to monitoring places of detention; 

• To provide information on the content 

of the OPCAT, which for the first time in 

an international human rights treaty sets 

out clear criteria and guarantees for the 

independence and effective functioning of 

“national preventive mechanisms”; 

ARCT methodology of performing Monitoring 

visits 

The monitoring visits are conducted following 

terms of reference developed on the basis of both 

national legislation and international standards. 

The objectives of such monitoring visits were 

aiming at ensuring: 

• Assessment of the current situation in the 

places of detention vis-à-vis national and 

international standards; 

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• Assessment of detainees’ treatment and 

whether human dignity and human rights 

are respected (through specific instrument 

including questionnaires and interviews 

conducted under the ARCT Screening 

instrument methodology and other cases 

related to legal assistance. 

The monitoring visits follow a well – planned 

schedule described below and attached as 

Annex: 

• Clear understanding of conditions in 

the places of detention (prisons and predetention 

in Albania 

• Review and analysis of the implementation 

of national and international standards; 

• Design preliminary recommendations to 

be introduced through written reports 

and presented to all stakeholders (both in 

Albanian and English). 

Regarding clear understanding of conditions in 

places of detention, the experts carry out meetings 

and interviews which followed largely the same 

pattern: 

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Time 

Description 

09.00 h Presence at the Prison (including 

transportation) 

09.00- 10.00 h Meeting with the heads of the 

institutions or other persons in charge 

(mainly with Institution Directors); 

introduction of ARCT Team, 

introduction of the MoU, the team 

compilation and distribution of ARCT 

Publications 

10.00- 11.00 h Meeting with institution’ Medical staff 

as a Team 

11.00-14.00 h ARCT Team works in the internal 

regime:, according to specifications 

developed prior the visits: 

- Psychologist performs Q&Is 

- Medical doctor and journalist and/ 

or lawyer perform cell visits, meetings 

and questionnaires with inmates for 

case stories and legal representation; 

- Visits in prison’s environments’ 

(library, kitchen, cells, working places, 

religion places, etc, etc) 

- Meetings with persons deprived of 

their liberty - always on a confidential 

basis and without the presence of 

institution personnel; 

- Notes are taken for the reports 

according to structured format of data 

collecting and reporting (attached as 

Annex) 

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14.00 h Final meeting with the director of 

the institution to debrief him on the 

preliminary findings of the visit. 

With regard to whether and to what degree national 

and international standards were being respected, 

the visits aimed to assess: 

• Implementation of these standards; 

• Compatibility of national standards with 

international ones; 

• Implementation of the national legal 

framework 

• Identifying fall-outs and relevant reasons/ 

causes. 

• Identification of possible court case 

representation and other assistance 

Given the attainment of the above objectives, it can 

be asserted that accurate knowledge was acquired 

on the actual condition in the visited penitentiary 

institution. 

Organization and implementation of monitoring 

visits 

To ensure the successful implementation of the 

project objectives and activities, special attention 

is paid to the design and actual carrying out of the 

monitoring visits. ARCT experts have designed 

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a standard format report including international 

indicators developed by the UN Prison Minimum 

Standards European Committee for the Prevention 

of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment 

or Punishment (CPT), and OPCAT requirements in 

terms of multidisciplinary team composition. 

Prior to each visit, every team member shares the 

same background information on penitentiary 

institutions to be monitored and visited. Each 

expert has an assigned a special area to focus on. 

Prior to each visit the Team assigns a Facilitator to 

collect all the information and data from all possible 

sources for the current visit (reports, official data, 

media monitoring, etc). 

Information is also gathered by means of confidential 

interviews with inmates, visits of the premises and 

discussions with the high management and the 

staff, and thereafter evaluated according to the 

standards set out in the terms of reference. Also, 

face to face conversations were held with detainees 

and their relatives. 

VISITS 

Each visit starts by meeting the head of the 

penitentiary institutions. These meetings serve 

for the group of experts to introduce themselves, 

the mission’s goals and objectives, and to receive 

information from the heads of institutions as to 

the objective of the visit, and also to discuss the 

previous recommendations from previous visits. 

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The second phase of the visit focused on consulting 

the official registers of the persons deprived of 

liberty, and special meeting with the medical staff 

of each institution, visited. This stage aimed at a 

more precise understanding of the problems related 

to medical services, nutrition, hygiene, education 

and instances of use of force by institution staff, 

disciplinary measures, etc. 

The third stage of each visit was to monitor the regime 

and the premises of the correctional or detention 

centres and police holdings cells. Each visit included: 

cells, isolation cells, reception rooms for the newly 

arrived/ transferred detainees, sanitary facilities, 

showers and toilets, kitchen, outdoor exercise facilities, 

the library, first aid or medical treatment, conjugal 

room and religious worship facilities. Visits are also 

to be conducted at staff facilities in the prisons and 

pre-trial detention facilities. 

The fourth parallel stage of the monitoring visit is 

to be dedicated to meeting with and questionnaires 

and interviewing detainees. It is a particularly 

important moment of the visit. ARCT experts are 

guaranteed and provided with adequate premises 

to hold the meetings out of hearings of the staff, 

where confidentiality and security conditions are 

ensured and no staff members are present. Most 

often, this stage of the visit consists of meeting 

institution staff including security staff and 

personnel responsible for various services such as: 

educators, social assistants, doctors, cooks, etc. 

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Stage fith of the visit is closing meeting the director 

of institution. Almost in all cases such a meeting 

is conducted at the end of each monitoring visit. 

In general, in these closing meetings, the experts 

of ARCT make a short presentation of their 

monitoring findings. Subsequent to the monitoring 

visit, the group of experts are required to prepare 

the respective report. 

The institutions that are visited are as following: 

Prison J. Misja, Pre-detention facility M. Peza; 

Burrel Prison; F.Kruja Prison; Durres Pre-detention 

facility; Korce Priosn; Sarande Pre-detention 

facility; Tropoje Pre-detention facility; Kukes 

Pre-detention facility; Lezha Priosn; Peqin Prison; 

Tepelena Pre-detention facility; Vlore Pre-detention 

facility; Rrogozhine Prison; Berat Pre-detention 

facility; Kavaja Correctional Centre for Juvenile; 

Prisons’ Hospital. 

Overall, Penitentiary staff is cooperative and 

flexible, allowing the monitoring team access 

to the premises, filling out questionnaires and 

interviewing inmates under satisfying conditions. 

ARCT team also has access to personal files. 

The report is based on the standards mentioned 

in the terms of reference, focusing on particular 

points noted during the visits. A number of 

recommendations regarding 

• Treatment of detainees with the view of 

HR protection; 

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• Material Conditions; 

• Regimes and activities; 

• Medical services; 

• Prison staff; 

• Legal issues and assistance 

Are annexed at the end of each report. 

ARCT follows up on the implementation of the 

recommendations by keeping an open dialogue 

with the authorities and repeating its visits to places 

of detention all over the country. 

Structure of reporting and basic information: 

First page – cover includes the photo of the facility; 

and the contents 

The Report’ contents includes: date and the 

monitoring team, the description of the facility 

geographical allocation, and additional information 

about the facility (prepared prior to visit by the 

facilitator); the facility’ structure and the capacities; 

material conditions and internal regime, the 

internal prisons’ regulations, ending up with the 

final recommendations. 

Specific report structure includes: 

Date of the monitoring visit 

a. Date of the previous visit, if visited 

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Compilation of the monitoring team and the 

working methodology (who does what) 

a. which is the role for each member 

3. Geographical position and photo of the 

institution 

a. describe the place and how to arrive in the 

facility from Tirana 

b. Make a photo of the facility 

Information on prison administration (staff 

number, organogram if possible, the typology of 

meeting organized by the team, who was present 

in this introductory 1-hour meeting) 

a. Collect information on each category 

b. Ask for each issue raised in the explanatory 

paragraph) 

c. Report on each of issues 

d. Ask official documentation on issues relating 

to the administration of the facility 

Medical Care: number of the cases of ill detainees, 

the typology of the diseases, the methodology 

of treatment, the medicaments (pharmacy); how 

the institution deals with emergency cases; first 

aid interventions; how the medical department 

is organized, and how the emergency cases are 

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reported and documented – check the register. Are 

there any mentally ill detainees, chronic diseases 

Disabled 

a. get information for each category 

b. Ask for each category all the information 

c. Report for each of the issues 


to the ill detainees and their respective 

treatment 

Psycho-social assistance (methods, staff, 

professional background, out-door regime, 

activities and external actors’ contributors) 





to psycho-social services 

Material conditions inside institution: (organization, 

number of cell, division and management of the 

prisoners, daily regime, food, etc) 

a. get information for each category in the 

regime 

b. Ask for each category all the information, 

check the number of cells and number 

of prisoners; ask for the daily internal 

regime 

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d. Ask official documentation on issues 

relating to food and meals, special diets, 

etc. 

Hygiene: who is responsible, how doe it functions 

internally 

a. Ask about the way the control by medical 

staff is performed, monitored, registered 

and documented 

b. Ask about the external maintenance of the 

facility 

c. Observe in the hygiene is satisfactory and 

report 

Information on the prisoners in the facility (number, 

gender, internal division and management, 

education, disturbances and complaints, social 

status, number of transfers, releases, disciplinary 

measures, deaths, suicides, etc; check the 

register) 





relating to inmates and security system 

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Education 

a. get information for the number of 

analphabets (if there is any) 

b. Ask for any professional courses 



relating to education and work 

Rehabilitation activities and contact with respective 

relatives 





relating to rehabilitation services 

ARCT Screening Instrument: number of 

questionnaires and interviews collected 

a. Report on the methodology of data 

collection 

b. Report the number of administered 

questionnaire 

c. Report the number of the administered 

interviews 

d. Report as an annex the cases administered 

e. Annex all printed out documentation 

procedures for each monitoring visit 

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Chart. 1 Distribution of categories of detainees in penitentiary 

institutions 

juvenile, 

104, 2% 

mentally ill , 

108, 2% 

women , 93, 

2% 

men 

women 

juvenile 

mentally ill 

men , 4482, 

94% 

Chart2. Overcrowding prisons 

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Chart2. Percentage of persons in pre-detention and 

prisons 

Predetainees, 

1935 

Detained 

population, 

2852 

Detained population 

Pre-detainees 

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Table 1. Number of the detained population for the second semester of 2010 

(as per December 4 th 2010) 

Number of criminal offenders as per 12th of December 2010 

Name of Intitution 

High security 

No 

MEN WOMEN JUVENILE 

normal security 

pre-detainees 

inmates 

pre-detainees 

inmates 

pre-detainees 

mentally ill detainees 

TOTAL 

Capacity 

overcrowding 

1 I.E.V.P.“J.Misja” 321 31 17 369 320 49 

2 I.E.V.P.Vlorë 132 25 157 125 32 

3 I.E.V.P.“M.Peza” 6 218 224 170 54 

4 I.E.V.P.Lezhë 377 194 17 588 703 -115 

5 I.E.V.P.Burrel 47 111 35 193 198 -5 

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6 I.E.V.P.Tepelenë 13 41 58 112 70 42 

7 I.E.V.P.Peqin 208 338 171 717 685 32 

8 I.E.V.P.Lushnjë 265 265 189 76 

9 I.E.V.P.Vaqarr 156 156 146 10 

10 I.E.V.P.Rrogozhinë 254 160 414 343 71 

11 I.E.V.P.“A.Demi” 96 62 158 80 78 

12 I.V.Krujë 132 43 175 196 -21 

13 I.E.V.P.Fushë Krujë 125 240 29 394 312 82 

14 Spitali Burgjeve 5 10 65 80 99 -19 

15 I.E.V.P.Durrës 5 267 2 274 224 50 

16 I.E.V.P.Kukës 12 12 36 -24 

17 I.E.V.P.Sarandë 37 37 31 6 

18 I.E.V.P.Korçë 46 203 104 4 357 312 45 

19 I.E.V.P.Tropojë 9 9 25 -16 

20 I.E.V.P.Kavajë 14 25 39 40 -1 

21 I.E.V.P.Berat 57 57 37 20 

TOTAL 439 2229 1814 62 31 14 90 108 4787 4341 446 

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Annexes from 

Monitoring Visits 

Shen-Koll Prison facility 

Shën-Koll Prison Facility represents an old 

establishment. The distance from Tirana is around 

60 km, and road infrastructure is very good. The 

institution is composed by 4 buildings: one which 

serves as a pre-detention facility, one half as a 

pre-detention and the other half as a prison of 

common security and the two others as prison of 

high and low security. Each building has 32 cells 

each. The fifth building will be reconstructed and 

will be used as a high security sector. The capacity 

of the institution is 780 persons, 18 of them minors. 

Actually there are 600 prisoners, 210 of them in the 

pre-detention. There were 4 fields for ventilation 

and other recreational activities. In this institution 

there are 11 cells of observation and isolation, 6 

for the special meetings and one for the meeting 

with the lawyer. ARCT has visited this facility 

29



on 25 th May, 28 th of July and the current on 14 th of 

September 2010. Part of the Protocol is contacting 

Prison management staff: the prison Director, 

Head of Prison policy, Head of Medical sector, 

the Legal representative and a specialist from the 

Psycho-social sector. This institution has been 

visited throughout 2010 in 21 st May, 28 th July and 

14 th September, 2010. 

An issue reported by 4 inmates was how the 

administration has managed the inmates’ income 

and cash that they have; the inmates have 

told to monitoring team that the inmate who 

was responsible for purchasing goods outside 

operators, and managing the cash, after granting 

permission, had escaped from prison in July 2010. 

It was told that prison authorities have changed 

the procedures for the purchased goods provided 

to inmates upon their requests. 

10 questionnaires and 4 interviews were taken to 

inmates in this Facility. An issue of great concern 

which was evidenced and published in the 

newspapers was the information on the prohibited 

tools sequestered from January 2010 to September 

(800 mobile phones, 50 artisan knifes and a large 

number of chargers, alcoholic drinks etc. 

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The Prison Education and Psycho-Social staff 

includes 10 persons (1 psychologist, 2 social 

workers and 7 educators). There is no room for 

the psycho-social counseling and the library room 

is used as such. Individual counseling take place 

3-4 time a week. Each specialist is responsible for 

specific buildings inside the Shen Koll Prison. 

6 prisoners are suffering mental health problems 

and the most prevalent MH disorders are: 

Schizophrenia, Behavioral and Emotional 

disorders. They are part of the Special care Sector 

and are a treated by a special focus by the staff; 3 

cases of ex-drug users. 18 juvenile offenders who 

were treated with a special focus by the psychosocial 

staff lack the elementary education. To this 

target group were offered courses such as: 

The adults (18-21 years old) are 27: 17 of them in 

pre-detention and 10 in prison, whereas none of 

them has completed the elementary education 

and 23 of them take part in the informal course 

of English. There were 67 adults taking parts in 

31



informal courses organized in the prison. There are 

2 cult rooms frequented by 60-70 persons for both 

religions. Different representatives of the Catholic/ 

Orthodox Church (Shen Koll) and Mother Tereza 

Sisters, come once a week each, offering also their 

contribution in organizing religious and different 

recreational activities. The Special Care sector was 

placed in the building No.3 composed of 2 rooms 

for seven persons. In this sector was noticed lack 

of recreational rooms, poor material conditions 

and lack of first aid service. 

Informal courses: Directed by the educator in Participants 

charge for sector 

analphabets 1 

Basic knowledge on elementary school. 10 

English 10 

Computer 10 

Medical staff was composed by general practitioner, 

1 dentist, 1 pharmacist and 4 nurses. Inside the prison 

there were a hospital with 3 rooms and 15 beds, also 

special rooms for the medical doctor, nurses and the 

dentist. The medical doctor makes over 15 visits per 

day the dentist is frequented by 10 persons per day. 

There was the first aid corner but the ambulance 

was in a very bad condition without bad and first 

aid instruments. There were 90 inmates with chronic 

diseases. The lighting, water furnishing and ventilation 

are working efficiently. In the toilets there was humidity 

and the cells are cleaned and maintained by prisoners 

themselves. All the cells have beds, cushions, linen 

32



and are well equipped. The food is cooked in good 

conditions. Some prisoners had complaints related 

to the food, because, according to them, the prison 

authorities, says discriminating words for the prisoners 

who consume the prison food. As to the others, not 

consuming the prison food is already a custom. 

Fact findings and recommendations 

• Material conditions needs to be improved, 

more recreational environments for the 

detainees are necessary for the first aid 

also. 

• Professional treatment with specific 

programs of interventions for the persons 

who suffer from mental health problems. 

• Proper environments for the psycho-social 

staff activities in each sector. 

• Better commitments from the psycho-social 

staff in the sensitization of the inmates for 

maintenance the common environments. 

• Improving the quality of the psycho-social 

staff services, especially to the treatment of 

the minors and juveniles. 

• take urgent measure for windows pane 

inside the regime that is directly related 

with inmates’ physical health. 

• take urgent measure for lamp covers and 

the electrical wires which are directly 

related with security elements. 

• Better collaboration from the police, medical 

and psycho-social staff in identification and 

33



revaluation of inmates with mental health 

problems. ARCT considerate that the 

number of mental health inmates is higher 

then identified form medical and psychosocial 

staff. 

• Take immediate measure for appropriate 

treatment of inmates that suffering 

from chronic diseases that are held in 

inappropriate places. 

• More informal and formal courses for this 

institution. Considerate the number of 

inmates and the vulnerable target group; 

minors, juvenile, the psycho-social work is 

to be improve. 

• Better and qualitative selection for the 

professional physicians of the psychosocial 

staff. This will have immediate 

impacts on offered service and qualitative 

interventions, strategy. 

• To improve the pharmacy state with the 

medicine. 

• To request more attention to fulfill and 

presented the medical situation of the 

inmates on the personal medical cards. 

• Need for a large number of medical staff 

according to the high number of the 

detainees. 

34



Kukës Pre-detention facility 

Kukës Pre-detention Facility is positioned in 

the center of the city and represents a very old 

establishment. It is placed in one of the buildings 

belonging to the Police Directory and they were 

both under restoration. The situation in this facility 

is very bad: there are 18 cells in a basement with 

2-4 persons each, placed 80 cm from the ground. 

The capacity was 36-44 persons. Because of the 

restoration, there was no isolation cell and is 

foreseen one room for the cult services one for 

training and recreational activities. The ventilation 

area and the lighting were insufficient, no heating 

system, in winter it was realized only by a stove 

which was positioned in the middle of the hall. 

The pre-detention was equipped with beds only 3 

months earlier, meanwhile the detainees slept in 

the ground on the mattresses over some boards. 

Due to the fact that the building was underground 

there was a lot of humidity, no hot water, and no 

refrigerator. Food was not enough for the detainees 

and the lack of a refrigerator makes impossible 

keeping the food provided by the familiars. There 

was no room for the visits with the familiars, so 

the detainees were obliged to meet them in very 

35



bad conditions behind some irons in the end of a 

hall. 

During the reported day, there were 16 detainees, 

5 of them from Kukës, 10 from Kosovo and 

one Serbian. There was no box of the People’s 

Advocate in order to deposit all their complaints 

as it functions normally in other prisons. All the 

detainees were arrested for extradition issues and 

the terms of 40 days were overcome. There was a 

lack of legal service and no disciplinary measures 

were taken during the last month. The head of 

Psycho-Social staff was Mr. Ilir Dogjani which was 

also the only person employed, educated as a math 

teacher with middle school. There is a juvenile and 

the adults sector is composed by 15 persons. 

Some small recreational activities and table games 

were given to inmates, some basic education was 

also provided in the limited places of pre-detention. 

There was only one room which was used for the 

psycho-social activities and no cult environments 

at the moment. The ventilation time was 3 hours 

per day. There were no professional courses at the 

moment. Medical staff was composed by a general 

practitioner (part-time) and 3 nurses. The medical 

doctor has realized 36 medical visits during this 

year and outside the regime he had a room with 

first aid corner, also inside the regime a small room 

for medical visits which was equipped with one 

bed only. The new detainees were all equipped 

with the medical and psycho-social folder. 5 

36



inmates with chronic diseases were reported 

having problems with ventilation and humidity. 

ARCT team was welcomed by pre-detention 

Director Kreshnik Elezi, chilef of polic, chilef 

of health care, lawyer and an educator. 11 

questionnaires were fulfilled. This institution has 

been visited throughout 2010 in 10 th June and 24 th 

September, 2010 


• Kukës Pre-detention doesn’t fulfill the 

minimal standards of CPT related to the 

material conditions, hygiene, infrastructure, 

ventilation, recreational environments etc. 

• Lack of heating system in an area with a 

low temperature most of the year. 

• high level of humidity is a present risk for 

different diseases and epidemic situation. 

• Lack of minimal conditions for the meetings 

with the familiars. 

• ARCT psychologist identified one detainee 

with mental health problems, not evaluated 

and treated before as such. 

37



Situation in Kukes Predention remains problematic 

and without a concrete solutions 

38



Fushë-Kruja Prison Facility 

Fushë- Kruja Prison Facility represents a new 

establishment built in 2008. The capacity of the 

institution is 312 persons; actually there were 395 

persons, 368 of them in the prison and 27 in the predetention. 

Among them there were 4 foreigners, 3 

of Macedonian nationality and one Turkish. 

The institution is composed by 3 buildings/ 

sections: one which serves as a pre-detention 

facility and also as a prison of normal security, 

one as prison of high security and the last building 

is used for different activities as the nurse room, 

the kitchen and for the observation and isolation 

of detainees. The high security sector is composed 

by 68 cells with 2 persons each and the common 

security has 44 cells with 6 persons each. There 

are 2 cells of isolation in each floor, for 4 persons 

each and one cell for one person in each floor. 

Each building has 32 cells each. The fifth building 

will be reconstructed and will be used as a high 

security sector. 

There is enough space for recreational activities: 2 

cult rooms: one church and one mosque, a room 

used as a library, a gymnasium, two football fields, 

a room for the computer course, a room for training 

activities, one room for vocational training and 2 

rooms for the meeting with the familiars, 3 rooms 

for special meetings and 5 rooms for the meetings 

with the lawyers. The lighting, heating, water 

39



furnishing and ventilation are working efficiently. 

All the cells have beds, cushions, linen and are 

well equipped. Each cell has its own toilet and the 

hygiene conditions were very good. 

ARCT team contacted with Prison management 

staff: the Prison Director Sajmir Mulgeci, Deputy 

Director Dashnor Vishaj, Head of Prison policy 

Ymer Hajdari, Head of Medical sector Robert 

Dhima. During the meetings in the internal regime 

with inmates of high security levels, violence was 

reported: they complained against the chief of 

internal regime. From the other side, the incident 

was denied from the prison authorities. There were 

also episodes of quarreling between the prisoners 

and disciplinary measures were taken against 

them. This institution has been visited throughout 

2010 in 14 th June and 8 th October, 2010 

During September there were 7 new inmates, 

1-detaienee; 7 transfers and 7 releases (1 from 

pre-trial detention); 19 permissions, 13 were 

compensatory and 4 special ones; 15 disciplinary 

measures to the prisoners and 3 to the detainees on 

purposes of disobedience; 11 carrying prohibited 

weapons (knifes) , phones, etc; 2 for fights with 

other prisoners, 1 for late return from permission, 

one for contradicting the guardian’s order and three 

for attempting to produce alcoholic beverages. 

11 questionnaires were fulfilled. 

40



Fushe-Kruja Prison has opened Special Care Sector, 

where 28 persons with mental health problems 

were treated with individual programs and were 

engaged in recreational activities for computer, 

English, professional training, handcrafts etc. 

No case of suicide registered. Medical staff was 

composed by: A general practitioner, 2 dentists, 

one of them part-time, 1 pharmacist and 7 nurses. 

Outside the prison there was a medical room. Inside 

the prison there were a hospital with 3 rooms and 

8 beds, also special rooms for the medical doctor, 

nurses and the dentist. The medical doctor makes 

over 10 visits per day; the dentist is frequented 

nearly from 3 persons per day. There was the 

first aid room and a ambulance for transporting 

the detainees. There were 63 people with chronic 

diseases. 

Fact Finding: 

Fushe-Kruja Prison Facility was visited by the 

CPT Mission during May 2010. Despite the 

good infrastructure conditions of the facility; 

with regards regime, it is positive that in all 

prison establishments visited, outdoor exercise is 

provided on a daily basis for at least two hours, 

and one for longer periods of time. the CPT has 

put an emphasis on the medical records and the 

way in maintaining each prisoner checked. This 

prison was visited by the Minister of Justice during 

2010; the 

41



Internal buildings inside Fushe-Kruja Prison Facility 

42



Tirana Prison Hospital 

This facility is dealing with all categories of 

illnesses in the penitentiary system; As regards to 

living conditions far patients, the current number of 

patients remains lower than the hospital’s capacity; 

overcrowding is absent in the establishment. The 

installation of fully partitioned in-cell sanitation 

is also positive. In addition, a reasonable level 

of cleanliness and hygiene is guaranteed. Some 

activities are organized far the patients by the 

psychosocial team; these efforts should be pursued 

and increased. A positive development is also the 

increase of the lime for outdoor exercise (2 hours 

for men and 4 hours far women). 

As regards staff and treatment, with the exception of 

the psychiatric services, the level of medical staff at 

the hospital is satisfactory and continuity of care is 

guaranteed. A striking shortage of psychiatric staff was 

observed; only one psychiatrist was taking care of 73 

patients (out of the 80 patients present at the hospital). 

More importantly, 60 of those patients had been placed 

at the hospital under a compulsory treatment order. 

ARCT during September 2010 has received a written 

request from the General Prisons Directorate for the 

support on the means of use to restrain suicidal or 

agitated patients, such as the “home made” leather 

straps. 

A basic recommendation which h has been 

presented by ARCT in cooperation with People’s 

43



Advocate remains the delays in making functional 

the forensic Hospital for psychiatric patients 

who have been declared criminally irresponsible 

by court and made the subject of a compulsory 

treatment order , still held in this Hospital (as 

required by the Albanian legislation). 

44



Korça Prison Facility 

Korça Prison Facility is composed by 2 buildings 

which were organized in three sectors: one that 

serves as a pre-detention facility with a capacity of 

81 and actually with 110 detainees, one as a prison 

of normal security with a capacity of 176 and 

actually with 206 prisoners and the last as prison 

of high security with a capacity of 68 and actually 

with 50 prisoners. Infrastructure includes the 

administration offices; 4 sectors as pre-detention, 

4 sectors as prison of high security, 8 sectors as 

prison of normal security; 10 classrooms, a library, 

a gym, a recreational room, 4 ventilation rooms, 

10 observation/ isolation room, a cult room and 

a kitchen. Actually there are 366 prisoners, 3 of 

them minors and 18 persons belonging to the 

group of 18-21 years old. High security sector is 

composed by 68 cells with 2 persons each and 

the pre-detention with 4-6 persons per cell. The 

common security sector has 44 cells with 4-6 

prisoners each. 

In this institution there are 10 cells of observation and 

isolation. This month (November) were accepted 31 

inmates and 15 releases. 13 disciplinary measures 

have been taken and given; 19 compensatory 

permissions. Recently there were installed 64 

cameras which fully cover the Facility. The director 

of the institution informed ARCT staff regarding 

the occurrence of two hunger strikes during the last 

month. There were involved 5 prisoners and the 

45



hungers strike lasted 3.5 days. The hunger strike 

was interrupted due to negotiations with General 

prisons Directorate- inmates were promised 

transfers to other penitentiary institutions; 

inmates reported that they were promised also 

legal expertise from an NGO, but afterwards there 

was no contact between the NGO lawyer and 

the inmates. The General Prisons Directorate has 

removed the chief of prison police as an immediate 

measure; 

During the monitoring visit ARCT staff has taken 

contacts with the prisoners of high security sector, 

which has all participated in the hunger strike. 

They complained for: 

• Total neglect from prison administration: 

According to them, the prison director doesn’t 

meet them when they ask for, doesn’t take 

measures for guaranteeing the security in 

case of violence and conflicts between the 

detainees. 

• Hygiene was a very important problem for the 

prisoners. They declared that the institution 

doesn’t furnish them with equipments for 

cleaning the cells; detergents, plastic chairs etc, 

and most of them were obliged to buy these 

things by themselves. 

• Food was served in very bad conditions. 

• Police misuse of powers: police pressure, 

46



threaten with isolation, deprivation of meetings 

with family members, no permission to enter 

personal food, threat for transferring inmates 

in prisons away from their families. 

• Physical violence in case of requests to the 

prisons authorities. 

• 20% increase of prices of different articles. 

Different testimonies were taken from the prisoners 

who pretend for violation of their rights from the 

prison authorities. 

ARCT team contacted Prison management staff: 

the prison Director: Petrit Bazelli, Head of Prison 

policy: Filip Ulndreaj, Head of Medical sector, 

the Legal representative and a specialist from the 

Psycho-social sector. According to the new reforms 

in prisons policy, the police staffs was reduced in 

256 policemen, from 284 that were before, the same 

in the civil staff, which were 63 from 65 persons 

hired. Previous visit of ARCT in this institution 

was made in 26 th of July 2010. 12 questionnaires 

were fulfilled. 

The Psycho-Social staff includes 10 persons: 1 

psychologist, 1 part time psychiatrist, 5 social 

worker (one has been removed for personal 

reasons) and 5 educators. Medical staff was 

composed by: A general practitioner, 2 part-time 

medical doctors one of them neurologist, 1 dentist, 

1 pharmacist and 8 nurses. There were 15 persons 

47



with metal health problems such as: depression, 

anxiety, affective and delusional psychosis and 30 

ones drug abusers treated as such. During July, 

there was tentative suicide. There was no auto 

ambulance. The hospital has 12 beds. The medical 

doctor had 10 visits per day and the dentist 7-8. 39 

were the persons suffering from different diseases 

such as: hypertension, diabetics, asthma, chronic 

hepatitis etc. All the prisoners were equipped with 

the medical and psycho-social folder after arriving 

in the institution. 

Hygiene in cells was good. ARCT staff noticed that 

the beds of the prisoners were muffled. The food 

was cooked in very good conditions, its quality 

and quantity was acceptable. Organizations 

collaborating with the institution: Muslim 

community, Christian association, Red Cross etc. 

This institution has been visited throughout 2010 

in 26 th June and 2 nd November, 2010 


• Need of improvements in cells equipments, 

especially in mattress. 

• P r o v i s i o n s f r o m t h e G D P o f a n 

ambulance. 

• Improvement of ventilation and sport 

activities environments, in order to 

be properly used even in bed weather 

conditions. 

• improve human rights and treatment of 

48



the detainees. 

• Offering possibilities of vocational training 

for the prisoners. 

• Lack of funds for Social Care Sector for 

organizing different activities. 

• Need for separation of minors and adults 

activities. 

• Lack of proper environments for the 

psycho-social staff activities and need of 

evaluation of their viability. 

Case of Hunger strike 

The incident was initiated by a life sentence 

prisoner named Viktor Ymeri from Vlora. 

According to his personal file, this prisoner was 

transferred to Korça Prison from Rrogozhina 

Prison, due to many incidents in organizing 

hunger strikes. After beating him (when the first 

episode happened back in March 2010) the prison 

police had sent Ymeri back to Peqini Prison; after 

some months, Peqini Prison transferred him back 

to Korça Prison. Prior the episode of violence, the 

prisoner had organized some other prisoners to 

ask for more time outside the cells. 

As a context, during summer time and high 

temperatures, the doors were allowed to be kept 

open through an order form the General prison 

Director (removed). 

49



The episode has started by such request to live 

the cell doors open from the prisoners, in order 

to spend some more time with each others (as the 

airing time was reduced from3 to 2 hours outside 

doors). They have also requested to play soccer 

one hour more; the shift’ policemen got in the high 

security regime (the last cell in the corridor) and 

starts beating one the prisoners that was playing, 

yelling at others: “You want to play soccer; this 

is how the game should be played”. After this 

moment of violence, other police forces intervene 

getting the prisoners back in their cells, and the 

situation was calmed down. The level of security 

inside the prison remained high as prisoners 

started for around 1 day and half the hunger strike. 

We were informed that two policemen that had 

beaten up prisoners were suspended; one of them 

the chief of prison police. The prisoners have sent 

a petition asking a new internal regulation, where 

outdoor activities should be scheduled. 

50



Rrogozhina Prison Facility 

The institution is organized in three sectors: one that 

serves as a pre-detention facility with 152 detainees, 

22 cells with 6-12 persons per cell and the others as 

a prison of common security with 260 prisoners, 40 

cells with 5-11 persons per cell the pre-detention has 1 

observation cell meanwhile the prison has 8 isolation 

cells. 25 persons are part of the group of 18-21 years old 

category. Infrastructure includes the administration 

offices; 4 sectors as pre-detention, 8 sectors as prison 

of common security; a library in prison sector, a gym, 

3 ventilation rooms, 9 observation/ isolation room, 

a dentist room, a room for medical examinations, a 

cult room and a kitchen. All these environments had 

bad hygiene and infrastructure conditions. Have been 

installed 8 cameras which observe the outside and 

inside environments. During the last month, there 43 

transfers, 9 dismissals, 25 new prisoners, 6 detainees 

have taken compensatory permission. Overcrowding 

is present at Rrogozhina Facility (capacity is 272 

inmates). 

The measure of cells was 8x10 with 8-10 persons 

each. All the sanitary equipments were muffled, 

mould and the hygiene conditions very poor, 

insect are present too. There were humidity 

everywhere and the most necessary furniture such 

as table, were lacking. The heating system was 

not functioning and also the artificial and natural 

lighting was problematic. Water supply is reported 

as very bad-and problematic. 

51



The food was cooked in good conditions based in 

the good condition of the kitchen but according 

to some prisoners, they had complaints related to 

the food quantity and quality. 3 fields serve for 

ventilation and football games. There was a room 

for medical visits inside and outside the prisons, 

first aid corner and a very-well functioning 

ambulance. The institution has no psychologist 

and this role was accomplished by the social 

workers. 

ARCT team took contact with The Prison management 

staff: the prison Director: Xhevat Ylvini, Head of Prison 

policy, Head of Medical sector, the Legal representative 

and head of the Psycho-social sector Besnik Peposhi. 

The police staff was composed by 168 and the civil 

staff by 38 persons. The Psycho-Social staff includes 

7 persons, two of them social workers. Medical 

staff was composed by: A general practitioner, 1 

dentist, 1 pharmacist and 4 nurses. Each detainee 

was equipped with the medical folder after having 

examinee his health conditions. Although the presence 

of medical doctor, prisoners had complaints regarding 

the medical service for the not proper presence of 

the medical doctor when they need him and for the 

absence of some medicines. 

There are 18 persons with mental health problems 

and 10 ex-drug users; 32 persons suffering from 

chronic diseases, 26 persons hat mental health 

disorder and 40 were treated properly for being exdrug 

abusers. Although to the agreement between 

52



the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of 

Justice, the inmates could not have the possibility 

to follow the school, because to the lack of the 

classrooms, 5 analphabets. Actually there are 

42 prisoners employed. There are 27 detainees 

abandoned from the familiars and in very bad 

economic situation. 

Organizations collaborating with the institution: 

Muslim Community in Kavaja, Catholic Church 

in Durres, Rehabilitation centre for detainees 

in Elbasan, Albanian Christian Association etc. 

The religious association was the only one who 

can perform their activities in the cult room, 

meanwhile it is impossible for the others to realize 

their professional courses because of the lack of 

proper environments regarding this issue. 

During October 2010, the registry of the predetention 

identifies 23 new detainees, 6 transfers, 

4 disciplinary measures; meanwhile the prison 

registry identifies 20 new inmates, 5 disciplinary 

measures and 53 compensatory permissions. 

Previous visit to Rrogozhina High security prison 

was performed in January 6 th 2010, where a suicide 

case happened and 3 rd of November 2010; due to 

ARCT recommendations for the improvements 

of material conditions the GPD has organized 

more than 5 multidisciplinary inspections in this 

Facility. 

53




• Improve prison conditions, overcrowding 

is present, material equipments and 

infrastructure. 

• Hygiene conditions were very bad and the 

cells have humidity. 

• Lack of heating system. 

• Lack of artificial and natural lighting. 

• The electric system is amortized and it 

creates possibilities for the inmates life, 

because of the risk of having contact with 

bared electric wires. 

• Very bad hygiene conditions of toilets and 

lack of water furnishing. 

• Lack of environments and as consequence 

lack holding psycho-social activities 

• Improvement of the medical service 

conditions. 

• Lack of psychological service. 

• Very bad conditions of persons suffering 

from mental health problems, which make 

impossible their proper treatment in such 

conditions. Need for transferring them in 

another institution proving specialized and 

adequate treatment. 

• According to the bad hygiene, material and 

infrastructure conditions, this institution 

creates a bad climate and also favorable 

conditions for attempting suicides from the 

detainees, referring to the suicide occurred 

in the beginning of this year. 

54



Peqini Prison Facility 

The institution is composed by 2 buildings which were 

separated in 12 sectors each. In the common security 

building, 3 sectors serve as a pre-detention facility and 

9 others as a prison. In this building 10 cells are used 

for observation purposes and 2 as isolation ones. The 

same functioning is for the high security building, but 

there are functioning two sectors for the observation 

and isolation of the detainees. 

The institution has 2 cult rooms and a hospital. 

Overall, in the normal security building there are 88 

cells, 4 cells in the hospital with 4-6 persons each and 

7 rooms in for observation but actually are used for 

the accommodation of the prisoners. The capacity of 

the institution was 660 persons and actually were 172 

detainees and 561 prisoners who were divided into 208 

in the high security sector (47 with capital condemn) 

and 352 in normal security sector. 

ARCT team took contact with The Prison management 

staff: The prison Director: Rexhep Biça, Head of Prison 

policy, Head of Medical sector, the Legal representative 

and a specialist from the Psycho-social sector. The 

police staff is composed by 343 persons and the civil 

staff by 55. The Psycho-Social staff includes 10 persons, 

one of them graduated as psychologist. Medical staff 

was composed by: general practitioner full-time and 

a part-time medical doctor, 1 dentist, 1 pharmacist 

and 6 nurses. 

55



The overcrowding was 73 persons especially in 

the common security sector. Three prisoners were 

foreigners- no information on special treatment for 

these prisoners. In high security building, there 

are 130 cells with 2-3 persons each. Some of these 

cells are used as classrooms. During October there 

were 10 transfers, 2 dismissals, 23 new prisoners, 

40 detainees have taken compensatory permission; 

8 isolation disciplinary measures were given: two 

cases of fight, 3 protests against the police staff and 

3 for having mobile phones. 

There was a case of death in September 2010. 


in 27 th April and 3 rd November. 


• Improve prison conditions, overcrowding 

is present, material equipments and 

infrastructure. 

• Lack of heating system. 

• Increase medical staff number ad capacities, 

increase number of nurses in the internal 

regime based on specificities of this facility 

• guarantee the payments of night shifts and 

extra hours of work in the regime 

• guarantee the psychiatric services as part of 

the system 

56



High Security Prison of Peqini 

57



Tepelena Prison Facility 

ARCT team took contact with The Prison 

management staff: the prison Director: Qamil 

Xhelili, Head of Prison policy: Hetem Llapaj, Head 

of Medical sector, the Legal representative and 

head of the Psycho-social sector: Engjell Dida. The 

police staff was composed by 89 and the civil staff 

by 31 persons. The Psycho-Social staff includes 1 

social worker and 3 educators. Medical staff was 

composed by: A part-time general practitioner, 1 

dentist, 1 pharmacist and 4 nurses. 

The institution is organized in 2 sectors: one that 

serves as a pre-detention facility with 54 detainees: 

12 cells with 4-6 persons per cell, one sector of 

high security: 3 cells with 13 prisoners and one as 

prison of common security with 40 detainees: 12 

cells with 8 persons per cell. There is overcrowding 

in all sectors, due to a capacity of 70 persons. 

There were rooms for: administration; 1 sector as 

pre-detention, 1 sector as prison of common and 

high security; 3 ventilation rooms, 1 observation/ 

isolation room and a library. 12 security cameras 

have been installed. There was a room for medical 

visits inside the prisons, first aid corner and no 

ambulance. Inside there was only a room used 

for medical visits, by the attendance committee, 

for meetings with the lawyer, with the familiars 

etc. Each detainee was equipped with the medical 

folder after having examinee his health conditions. 

There were 3 persons with mental health problems, 

58



treated only with medicaments and 5 ex-drug 

users. There were 42 persons suffering from 

chronic diseases, 6 persons hat mental health 

disorder and 5 were treated for being ex-drug 

abusers. The medical doctor realizes 3-4 visits per 

day, during October, 68 visits and the dentist 2-3 

persons a day. 

All the sectors had bad state of hygiene and material 

conditions. The lighting, ventilation and water 

furnishing were functioning quite well. There are 

no environments for psycho-social activities or 

vocational trainings. Inside the cells there was 

no door for the bathroom for security reasons. 

Although to the agreement between the Ministry of 

Education and the Ministry of Justice, the inmates 

could not have the possibility to follow the school, 

because to the lack of the classrooms. There is only 

one room in pre-detention sector for psycho-social 

activities, but it is not available 3-months so far. 

There are 15 detainees employed in the institution. 

Organizations collaborating with the institution: 

The Christian association of Albania prisoners 

and “Dora e ngrohte” association in Tepelene. 

During the last month, there were 2 transfers, 

4 dismissals, 9 new prisoners, 4 detainees have 

taken compensatory permissions and two have 

taken disciplinary measures. This institution has 

been visited throughout 2010 in 21 st June and 

5 th November, 2010 

59




• Overcrowding in all sectors. 

• Lack of environments for psycho-social 

activities and for treatment of vulnerable 

groups. 

• Very bad hygiene and material conditions 

and humidity everywhere. 

• Lack of a proper environment for medical 

examinations. Lack of an ambulance. Lack 

of the door for the bathroom. 

• Ventilation rooms have contacts with 

pre-detention cells, which is against the 

security standards. 

60



61



Berat Prison Facility 

Berati Pre- 

Detention Facility 

represents an old 

p r e - d e t e n t i o n 

f a c i l i t y . T h e 

institution is predetention 

facility 

with a capacity of 

50 detainees, but actually there are 61 persons. 

There are 4 security cameras installed and the 

building is under construction aiming to improve 

the ventilation conditions. In the detention areas 

are 23 cells, with 2 persons per cell and an average 

of 5-6m3 per person. 

ARCT team contacted with Prison management 

staff: Director: Agron Mahmutaj Head of Prison 

policy, Head of Medical sector, the Legal 

representative and a specialist from the Psychosocial 

sector. The police staff is composed by 38 

persons and the civil staff by 13. The Psycho- 

Social staffs include 1 person, graduated as a 

social worker. The medical staff was composed 

by a part-time medical doctor and 3 nurses, no 

dentist, no pharmacist were available. There was 

only a room adapted for medical visits and as a 

first aid corner, but it serves also for other meeting 

with the lawyer, with the familiars, the attendance 

committee etc. There were rooms only for the 

administration, the pre-detention with 23 cells, 

62



ventilation environment, 2 rooms and a kitchen. 

There are 11 persons with mental health problems and 

11 ex-drug users. There were 15 detainees with chronic 

deceases. During October there was 1 transfer, 8 

dismissals and 23 new prisoners. During October there 

was recorded one case of suicide attempt, which has 

been noticed in time and now is under psychological 

and medical treatment by the staff. 8 detainees belong 

to 18-21 years old category. 

Hygiene conditions: the cells had good hygiene 

but lack of lighting, natural and artificial too. The 

collective bathrooms were in very poor hygienic 

conditions. Electricity and water furnishing were 

functioning normally. The ventilation environment 

was under construction, bur the infrastructure 

doesn’t create conditions for a normal natural and 

artificial lighting. Food standards in this prison are 

to considerate “good”. 

It is impossible the realization of school lessons 

for the detainees. The only environment in this 

institution is used for English and computer with 

the participation of 20 detainees, and also this 

room serves for the medical doctor, meetings 

with the lawyer, meetings with the familiars etc. 

The meetings with the social worker are held in 

the cells or in the hall of the sector and the lack 

of a proper environment make very difficult 

her work in offering psycho-social services to 

the detainees. Organizations collaborating with 

63



the institution: Public health Directory Berat, 

Vocational Training centre Fier and Berat Regional 

Education Directorate. 


in 12 th May and 4 th November. 


• Regarding the previous visit, have been 

improvement in the infrastructure of 

ventilation environment and all the cells has 

been painted. 

• There is overcrowding and 13 detainees are 

obliged to sleep in the floor. 

• The hygiene conditions are still very bad, 

especially in the toilets, but there is improvement 

in common environments hygiene. 

• There is not a proper room for the meetings 

with the familiars; this is realized through a 

window which makes impossible the physical 

contact. In case of meeting with their children, 

it is allowed with a special permission to bring 

them in a room inside the institution. 

• The ventilation system is out of all standards 

and it leads to the spread of different infective 

diseases and to a high level of humidity. 

• Need for a proper room for medical visit and 

all the necessary equipments. 

• Professional training of medical staff. 

• Improving the conditions of bathrooms and 

cells too. 

64



Vlora Pre-detention Facility 

Vlora Pre-Detention Facility represents a newly 

built pre-detention facility: major investments 

have made possible that this facility offers, as 

overall, good conditions of detention to persons 

deprived of their liberty. However, this favorable 

situation is reported to some extent by certain 

shortcomings, such as shortage of water, including 

hot water. 

Outdoor exercise is provided on a daily basis 

for at least two hours; this facility has a special 

section for the juvenile offenders; yet without 

any specifications related to adjustments and use 

of female juvenile offenders. This facility offers 

medical and psychological services for inmates, 

dentistry is maintained as service; food is provided 

by the facility; even though some of the inmates 

reported that they were provided with goods from 

their relatives. 

This facility has been visited many times during 

2010, in 5 th of May, 30 th of Augusts and 24 th of 

December. This pre-detention facility has been 

in the centre of attention for the detention of the 

59-years old Italian national on the accusation of 

money laundering. 

There are around 13 questionnaires administered 

by the ARCT monitoring team. 

65



66



“ALI DEMI” Prison Facility 

Ali Demi Prison Facility is in suburb of Tirana. 

There are two separate sections: men section of 

low security and women section all above 18 

years old and a special Section where 13 mentally 

ill women are treated. The common security of 

this institution was compound from two sectors: 

from men department and women’s sector. In 

the women’s sector there is one sector for care of 

newborn children up to age 3 years ; which are 

engaged with the human treatment and conditions 

for small children. 

Were inspected the outpatient facilities within the 

regime; the materials base; the visits registers; the 

daily therapies; the first aid medicaments. In the 

external premises was inspected the pharmacy, its 

materials base and documentation, the organization 

of the medicaments distribution. Were checked 

the medical cards of the prisoners and was taken 

information about the chronic diseases, mental 

illnesses, their frequency and the treatments of 

those persons. 

For the women’s department, ARCT has succeeded 

to provide expertise and medical examinations 

for all detained women and also now this 

Facility is considered as a “Gynecological Centre” 

among other 36 centers in Tirana, through an 

agreement with the Regional Health directorate. 

Infrastructure and material conditions: this facility 

67



is very poor; As to the conversations made with 

the physician and the nurse was concluded that 

these medicaments were not given to the actually 

patients and these medicaments have remained 

because before these are used from the inmates that 

now are released. Also was found that many of the 

therapeutic daily medicaments were brought by 

their relatives, though the doctor of this institution 

confirmed that most of the patients have specific 

diagnosis requiring treatment with medications 

that are out of the supply list made from the general 

prisons directorate. 

There are 20 inmates with a history of narcotics use 

and are actually under treatments with methadone. 

Whereas special post-release programs are missing. 

Notes are taken in the refusal cases and the purpose 

of the refuse. Than the questionnaire is selfadministered 

(ARCT staff could assist the inmate 

only in reading aloud questions on an appropriate 

rhythm to be more understandable). After the 

questionnaire is fulfilled ARCT staff invites the 

inmate for a further interview in case violations 

are shown at the questionnaire. the previous 

visits were made on the 18 th June, 13 th July, 26-29 

September, 13 th December 2010. 

This facility has actually 63 women, where 27 

of them have benefited from the amnesty of 

the President of the Republic; and other 30 are 

under the special program of release; a basic 

assumption for this facility remains the high level 

68



of punishments and condemnation from 5-25 

years imprisonment; despite geographical and 

demographic distribution. 

The General Prisons Directorate is evaluating the 

transfer of this facility in Rrogozhina; where a 

special section will be made available; ARCT is 

recommending that this facility to be transferred 

in Durres Pre-detention and adjusted for this 

population. Rrogozhina Prison, from the other 

point of view cannot be appropriate for this 

transfer. 

69



“JORDAN MISJA” (313)Pre-detention Facility 

Jordan Misja Predetention 

Facility 

r e p r e s e n t a n 

old established 

e s t a b l i s h m e n t 

for the pre-trial 

criminal charges 

investigate from 

curt of serious 

crime but are not excluded cases of other criminal 

charges from Tribunal court of Tirana. 

The facility at first sight does no accomplish 

basic required standards such as recreational, 

environment functioning, educative and sport 

activities, counseling services etc; division and 

management of the different categories of prisoners; 

this facility has actually categories of minors from 

16 years old to 76 years old; 

Material conditions; there are 130 cells; with an 

average of 2-4-6 prisoner per cell. This facility is 

divided in 13 sectors in; high security; normal 

security; juvenile; minors; female. Two isolation 

cells are functioning in this establishment, used 

when disciplinary measures should be executed; 

one observation cell; and one transit cell. In total 

the capacity of this facility is 320 inmates. Cells 

were of a normal size for the intended rate of 

occupancy, had access to natural light and good 

ventilation, were well equipped (beds, table, chairs, 

70



cupboards, television set), had a fully-partitioned 

toilet and a wash-hand basin and were fitted with 

a call system. 

The facility depending on its old infrastructure is 

too considered in a bad state of hygiene: during the 

visit of ARCT presence of mice, humidity and lack 

of space is present in the section of women. 

During the December visit, there were two female 

juvenile offenders (one Ukrainian charged with the 

accusation of prostitution) who are lacking basic 

rights. From ARCT monitoring team observations: 

Lack of waste bins and not continues cleaning in 

this common environments degenerate the state of 

hygiene. Common showers have a height level of 

moisture inside and not an appropriate door. (Iron 

door covered by normal blankets). 

The internal cell hygiene is maintained by 

inmates, and the hygiene of the collective places 

is maintained by employed inmates. 

Out-of-cell activities, as part of the regime outdoors 

activities, including educational and vocational 

training and areas for workshops, outdoor exercise 

facilities, visiting rooms (both open and closed), 

as part of the regime activities, were reported at a 

good level., still there is the case of Pleural Gjeloshi 

(juvenile), who has requested the right to education 

and complete his high school education (exams). 

His parents have filed a complaint to People’s 

Advocate Office. A football field was used every 

71



3 months to organize sports events among the 

prisoners or special guests from the outside. 

The visits in this facility were made throughout 

2010, in 5 th of April, 15 th of July; December 3 rd; 

and December 15 th . There was a case of escape of 

Ajet Marku (20 years old) during the open hours 

activities, reported on December 2 nd 2010. 

72



Kavaja Juvenile Centre 

K a v a j a P r i s o n 

Facility represent a 

newly established 

e s t a b l i s h m e n t 

for execution of 

criminal charges for 

minors; poor and 

u n d e r d e v e l o p e d 

surroundings, in a 

distance of 200 m far from the facility. The facility 

at first sight accomplishes basic required standards 

such as recreational, environment functioning, 

educative and sport activities, counseling service. 

The institution has a capacity for 50 persons, where 

actually there are 46 reported. Actually it offers 

services for 16 minors in total, from the age 14-18. 

The staff includes 70 people, 50% of them are civil 

and 50% are working in uniform. 

The classification of inmates is organized firstly, 

taking into consideration the information gathered 

from the psycho-social staff i.e.: in case that they 

have or had conflicts between them, their psychoemotional 

situation etc, and then taking into 

account their age group and their penal action. The 

prison environment is designed in order to offer 

enough free space for inmates. There are 4 sectors, 

but only 3 are available. Each sector has its own hall 

with a TV which serves to all inmates. 

73



Material conditions: This institution is composed 

in four sectors with 5 cells for each one; with 

2 prisoners per cell. For the moment in this 

institution it function three sectors not in its full 

capacity due of the fact of the small number of 

inmates. 3 isolation cells are functioning in this 

establishment, used when disciplinary measures 

should be executed. Every sector has a big hall in 

the entrance with TV and play table; minor can 

use this hall all the weekly day until 06.00 to 21.30 

and in the weekend day 06.00 to 24.00. Common 

environments like library, PC game, table game, 

gymnasium, woodwork, steelwork, learning class, 

are available for all minors. (See Daily schedule) 

The Prison management staff is composed: The deputy 

Director/ (Head of Human Resources Department) on 

the same time in the position of the prison Director; 

prison police section represented by 36 officers and 

guardians, legal section represented by 2 lawyers; 

health care section represented by 6 medical staff (see 

below, para 6); education section represented by 6 

psycho-social member staff; finances and logistic (14). 

During the visit, the ARCT concluded that the Prison 

administration staff (police and civil) were supportive 

in providing information; in compliance with the 

article 76 of the Law nr.8328, date 16.4.1998 “On the 

rights and treatment of the prisoners”, the article 27 of 

the General Prisons Regulation (GPR). 

The facility is considered in a good state of hygiene; 

hot water is offered 

74



According to the agreement between the Ministry 

of Education and the Ministry of Justice, the inmates 

shall follow the school inside the institution and in 

the end they, will be graduated with certificate. 

But, till now, this agreement is not applied and the 

school doesn’t function. There is only one prisoner 

who is analphabet. 

Clothing and bedding: All the cells have beds, 

cushions and linen, but the prison does not provide 

clothing for the prisoners. This issue is covered 

totally by the familiars. They can use the laundry 

or the washing machine. 

The prisoners are all above 18 years and not 

allowed by law to work, but mainly is paid special 

attention on improving their skills and preparing 

with knowledge that can help them out of prison. 

Out-of-cell activities The doors of the cells are 

opened in 07.30 and closed on 21.00 P.M, except 

on Sunday , that are closed on 24.00. During this 

time, the prisoners can have totally access on the 

activities planed in the schedule of the Social care 

staff. The goal of this institution is to provide 

rehabilitation and integration of the inmates, in 

order to prepare them the life outside the prison. So, 

in the institution are available different professional 

courses such as: Working with wood; Computer 

courses, English courses, which are frequented 

from the inmates, 3 times a week for 2-3 hours, 

according to their interest. The courses take place 

75



in specific environments for each, and the rooms 

are equipped with all necessary material they 

need. After finishing the vocational trainings, the 

inmates are equipped with certificates. Also, there 

are education courses provided by the 2 specialists 

of the prisons staff, offering courses especially for 

social sciences such as: history; literature, etc, but 

they could not provide certificates in the end of the 

courses. The psycho-social staff organizes in the 

hall of each sector different recreational activities 

such as the open cinema, role play, games etc. 

There are organized entertainment games such as: 

chess, cards, ping-pong, domino etc. The library is 

well-functioning. 

Previous visits in this facility were made in April 

1 st , September 17 th , October 26 th , December 17 th . 

76



Durrës Pre-detention 

Durresi Predetention 

Facility 

r e p r e s e n t s a 

newly established 

establishment for 

pre-trail inmates In 

this facility are four 

separate sections of 

high security plus 

one special sector for 

minors with a capacity for 240 inmates; Material 

conditions; this facility is a three floor building 

with 60 cells inside, in which; in the first floor 

is only a special area for minor. In the first floor 

is allocated the medical room, the dentist room, 

the mosque, the church, police rest room, boiler 

equipment. In the second flour; are two separate 

sections; same structure in the third flour. Every 

section has inside; common showers, library and 

psycho-social environment in the same room. 

Each cell has bathroom inside, with an average of 

4 inmates. 4 isolation cells are functioning in this 

establishment, used when disciplinary measures 

should be executed; 1 observation and transit 

room.Cells were of a normal size for the intended 

rate of occupancy, had access to natural light and 

good ventilation, were well equipped (beds, table, 

chairs, cupboards, television set), had a fullypartitioned 

toilet and a wash-hand basin and were 

fitted with a call system. 

Some allegations of ill-treatment by staff (such as 

punches, kicks) were rported mainly associated 

77



with transfers to disciplinary confinement cells. 

The ill-treatment was alleged to have been inflicted 

by members of special intervention groups. ARCT 

verified that in nowhere in this facility are attach 

the complain numbers. The people advocate mail 

box, that should be present in every prison; exist 

only in the first floor but not with the logo and the 

numbers of people advocate. 

This pre-detention like a new facility is considered 

in total in a good state of hygiene. Common 

environments; like halls; showers; corridors; are 

hopeless in term of hygiene. This is a common 

problem for all our penitentiary system related 

with the level of depreciation and maintenance 

to the sensitivity of prisoners, but also lack of 

investments from the pre-detention administration 

like; trash cans in common environments, 

sufficient and strong detergents for the inmates. 

Each cell has a toilet inside whit a good ventilation 

system and 4 collective showers for each sector. 

Each inmate has access to showers 2 days a week. 

Material conditions of the shower are outdate; not 

maintained clean; and with a considerable level 

of moisture. 

The provision of general health care appeared on 

the whole to be adequate. Medical examinations 

on admissions to prison facilities (pre-detention) 

should be made; the admission commission 

provides data about the physical conditions of 

prisoners, mental health, etc. 

78



79

FOURTH REPORT OF THE MONITORING VIsITs BY ARCT PRIsON ...

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