Justice Ministry to propose tougher penalties for blood-feud, family violence, police murders
TIRANA, March 11 – The Justice Ministry offered Monday a package of laws and amendments to tighten the mandatory sentences for those people committing crimes or murders against police, in the family or in blood-feud conflicts.
The ministry brought some two scores of amendments that raise the imprisonment for the above-mentioned cases to 38 years up to life imprisonment.
The maximum prison term in Albania, other than life imprisonment, is 25 years.
The new laws will first be discussed in the government and the society before they pass on for approval at the parliament.
Minister Eduard Halimi said that there should be tougher sentences for the criminals who commit crimes against other families, police or their family members. Illegal weapon possession also will have tighter prison terms.
The minister said that the recent increase of the murders in the family, against police officers and in blood-feud conflicts makes necessary such amendments.
There have been three top policemen killed in the last six months. Though police give small figures, it is believed that blood-feud is a main cause of murders and also there is an increase of the murders in the family disputes.
All such murders will be sentenced with at least 38 years to life imprisonment.
Also all those persons arrested with weapons they keep illegally will be sentenced with up to 10 years imprisonment.
The governing Democrats and the government members called on the opposition to support such amendments that would help the country and the Albanian society to better deal with and cope with the increase of the murders.
