TIRANA, April 14 – Pervasive corruption in all branches of government, particularly within the judicial and health-care systems, and domestic violence and discrimination against women have been identified as the most significant human rights problems in Albania, according to a U.S. State Department report.
“Corruption was also a problem among police and in educational institutions, including public universities. In addition to judges and public officials, many students complained that instructors demanded bribes for passing grades in courses. A number of government agencies investigated corruption cases, but limited resources, investigative leaks, real and perceived political pressure, and a haphazard reassignment system hampered the investigations,” says the report.
Other human rights problems included police beating and otherwise mistreating suspects during detention and interrogation and substandard prison conditions. The report says the Albanian government made little progress in addressing the many claims for the return or restitution of property seized during the communist era.
“The country continued to be a source and destination for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor. Marginalization and abuse of the Romani and Balkan-Egyptian communities were serious problems, as was discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity,” says the report.
Impunity remained a problem. “Prosecution, and especially conviction, of officials who committed abuses remained sporadic and inconsistent. Officials, politicians, judges, and those with powerful business interests often were able to avoid prosecution,” the report notes.
The 2015 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices , now in their 40th year, document the status of human rights conditions in 199 countries and territories around the world.
