TIRANA, April 4 – The court process of the 23 people arrested for clashing with police and vandalizing collection boxes during the Nation Highway toll-road protest on Saturday is taking place in Tirana this Wednesday, amid tension among politicians and citizens.
The court session is happening behind closed doors, yet information has been leaked by opposition MPs inside the courtroom and in particular by opposition’s Democratic Party (DP) leader Lulzim Basha.
The prosecution has reportedly asked for 11 out of the 23 arrested to be imprisoned, five to be kept under house arrest and seven others to be present in court.
Basha posted on Facebook a soundbite where the attorney of one of the eleven people facing imprisonment charges is defending his client by saying he was protesting because of his minimal income.
“He went out to protest because he has nothing to eat, not even a bag of flour. I am saying this in front of the court. I am representing these clients as a volunteer, without any interests or money involved. Because they have nothing to feed on. Because i have witnessed injustice. This injustice should be addressed by the judicial body. Detention is illegal,” the lawyer can be heard saying.
Basha posted the soundbite in the context of the extreme measures that have been taken for the normal progress of the court session, which he called a “political order against transparency.”
Around 1000 police officials have engaged in making sure the session progresses normally, yet were unable to avoid tensions during the morning.
While a big number of citizens and civil society representatives have gathered on the other side of the court, DP MPs were at first not allowed to enter the court room.
DP MP Edmond Spaho appeared to be bleeding as he came to speak for the media, saying “if they clash with citizens, they will clash with us as well. Police forces exercised violence. Violence will not get Edi Rama far.”
After a phone call to Minister of Interior Fatmir Xhafaj, opposition MPs were allowed to enter the courtroom and follow the session, which is still taking place behind closed doors and in the presence of no media outlets.
This is a developing story. Follow for more at https://www.tiranatimes.com/
