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The trial for Nikulaj's "murderers" in London/Albania demands extradition, here's what the lawyers say
2024-03-25 20:50:07 / AKTUALITET
In London, the process of examining the request of the Albanian state to extradite from Great Britain, Edmond Haxhina and four British citizens, under the suspicion that they collaborated in the murder of businessman Ardian Nikulaj in Shengjin, began.
The journalist of Top Channel, Muhamed Veliu, who followed this process online, reports that in the first days of the process, it was clearly seen that the evidence brought by Albania proves their participation in the murder, and is irrefutable.
In such conditions, Edmond Haxhi's defense lawyers started to block the extradition based on a legal technicality.
English extradition law requires legal guarantees from the requesting state, that when a person is extradited from Great Britain, even if he can be sentenced to life imprisonment, this sentence must be reviewed so that he does not die as a prisoner for life.
According to them, for the current charges of murder as a result of blood feud, Edmond Haxhia may receive a life sentence.
To strengthen this argument, Edmond Haxhi's defense used two reports drawn up for this extradition process by the former judge of Albania in Stasburg, Ledi Bianku. Mr. Bianku himself appeared at the "Westminister Magistrate Court" testifying as a defense expert.
Citing data from the annual reports of the Ministry of Justice, in this process Ledi Bianku told the court that:
" The Court of Appeal in Albania has problems with the organization and the files under review. In 2023, only one case was changed, the verdict was given with life imprisonment. If Edmond Haxhia is convicted he will be sentenced to life in prison. A life sentence means imprisonment for the rest of your life. There is a political will from the Albanian legislature to toughen the punishment in frequent cases of blood feud".
The Albanian Parliament further said during the testimony of Ledi Bianku, it is considering an amnesty for which the Minister of Justice has publicly stated that those sentenced to life imprisonment are excluded. Edmond Haxhi's defense lawyer asked Ledi Bianku how much the media reports will influence the final decision of the Albanian court.
" There was a reaction even from the former prime minister and politicians. The court will be under public pressure. The Albanian mentality is to give the maximum punishment for cases of murder for blood feud." he said.
Further in the testimony former judge Ledi Biaku said that:
" Today I saw the list of Supreme Court cases. Issues of 2018-2019 are under review and this is a violation of the Human Rights Convention. In 2018, the Human Rights Court in Strasbourg drew attention to Albania for not considering early release on probation. Albania ranks third after Russia and Azerbaijan for non-implementation of the Strasbourg guidelines.
In favor of the defense of Edmond Haxhi, professor Ledi Bianku also brought this argument.
" The Albanian government is not obliged to implement the decisions of Strasbourg. Such was the decision to extradite to the USA an Albanian citizen who risked capital punishment. Although Strasbourg gave three interim decisions, this was not taken into consideration" - he said.
There were legitimate reasons to undertake a reform in justice, said Ledi Bianku, before the London court, but according to him, this reform has question marks as it is being implemented.
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