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9 leaders in 13 years/ Prisons are not an easy 'animal' for officials, from Artur Zoto to Adratik Kupi who resigned today

2026-10-12 11:37:00 / AKTUALITET ALFA PRESS
9 leaders in 13 years/ Prisons are not an easy 'animal' for officials,

TIRANA - The Directorate of Prisons, an institution of particular importance in our country, under the Ministry of Justice, has often seen changes in its leaders, the most recent being Adriatik Kupi, who announced his resignation after about 7 months in office. Since 2013, the prison system has changed 9 leaders, while accusations of favoritism towards VIP prisoners have been constantly present. The longest-serving director of the Prisons was Artur Zoto, with about 3 years in office, while the shortest-serving director is Arjan Hoxha.

DATES OF TAKING OFFICE BY 9 DIRECTORS IN 13 YEARS

October 5, 2013: Artur Zoto

July 16, 2016: Miklovan Kopani

May 25, 2017: Arjan Hoxha

July 20, 2017: Arben Çuko

September 3, 2018: Stefan Çipa

February 6, 2019: Agim Ismaili

December 20, 2021: Admir Abrija

March 13, 2024: Klevis Qose

April 2026: Adriatic Cup

Artur Zoto was the first director appointed after the Socialists came to power. He took office on October 5, 2013, and remained in office until July 2016, about two years and nine months, registering one of the longest mandates in this period.

Zoto then faced a criminal case for corruption related to food tenders in prisons. He was convicted at first instance, but in September 2018 the Court of Appeal for Serious Crimes declared him innocent, assessing that the evidence was insufficient for conviction.

In July 2016, Miklovan Kopani was appointed head of the institution, who stayed for about ten months. In May 2017, he was replaced by Arjan Hoxha, whose mandate lasted only about two months, at a time when political negotiations were taking place in the country that led to the Rama-Basha agreement.

In July 2017, the management of the Prisons was entrusted to Arben Çuko, a former Socialist Party MP and former commander of the Republican Guard. He remained in office for a little over a year.

In October 2018, Çuko was arrested on suspicion of passive corruption, related to allegations that he had received money in exchange for permits for convicts. He denied the charges and, according to later reports, was acquitted by the Tirana Court in January 2020.

After Çuko's departure, Stefan Çipa, former mayor of Saranda and former Minister of Interior, was appointed to this position in September 2018. He remained at the helm of the institution for about five months, before the leadership passed to another name in February 2019.

Agim Ismaili was appointed Director General of Prisons on February 6, 2019 and held this position until December 20, 2021. With nearly two years and ten months in office, he was among the leaders with the longest tenure during this period.

During his tenure, the Ministry of Justice announced several inspections of penitentiary institutions, focusing on security, the treatment of prisoners, and the prevention of the introduction of prohibited items. In September 2020, the then Minister of Justice, Etilda Gjonaj, requested that anti-abuse measures and security controls not be weakened during the pandemic.

In December 2021, Admir Abrija, who had previously held positions in public administration and State Police structures, took over.

During the period when Abrija was in charge of the prisons, in November 2023, one of the most serious events in recent years within the penitentiary system occurred: the murder of Arben Lleshi and the injury of Indrit Shaqja in the high-security prison in Peqin. Convict Sokol Mjacaj was charged with the incident.

Abrija left office in March 2024, when Klevis Qose was appointed head of the institution. The latter remained in office until April 2026. Prior to this appointment, he had headed the Probation Service and the Internal Control of Prisons structure.

During his term, another event that raised security concerns was the escape of Altin Ndoc from Durres hospital, where he had been sent for a medical examination from prison, in January 2026. The circumstances and responsibilities for this case should be addressed separately from the chronology of appointments.

In April 2026, Qose left office and was replaced by Adriatik Kupi, who was introduced by the Minister of Justice, Toni Gogu. According to the official announcement, Kupi has previous experience in the technical and operational structures of the energy sector and in the State Police. Now it will be Minister Gogu again who will make the proposal for the new director of the Prisons, which seems to be no easy task for any of the officials, despite their previous experiences in the system. /SHEKULLI

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