Albania: inhuman and degrading detention conditions in police stations - steps towards reform

Index Number: EUR 11/001/2004
Date Published: 19 February 2004
Categories: Albania, Europe And Central Asia

Amnesty International is concerned about the conditions in which detainees in Albania are held in police stations, sometimes for prolonged periods of up to several years. These conditions, characterized by overcrowding, extremely poor hygiene, sanitation, lighting, heating and diet, often amount to inhuman and degrading treatment. They adversely affect not only detainees, but also create stressful working conditions for the police officers in charge of them. They are in part a reflection of Albania’s poverty, but also a legacy of repression and disregard for basic human rights.