By Ben Andoni
They are an entire army, who hide out in the dark corners of Tirana, to escape from the “retribution” of the Albanians, as well as from the vicious confrontation in their own folds. The Law does not prohibit this, but the merciless condemnation by the public and frequent beatings by the police, systematically crushes hundreds of homosexuals, who don’t even dare identify themselves. Albanian law makers even use their jargon to throw offense at one another. The more switched on among the homosexuals have begun to be granted asylum in other countriesơs homosexuals.
S.L- a fifty year old homosexual declares that “society treats us as if we have committed the world’s most monstrous crimes. I have been beaten up by the Police, kicked and booted from one floor to another at one of the local police stationsŠand when I was released, I was so traumatized I couldn’t speak. I never said I was a homosexual, but still reacted violently suspecting I was. If I had admitted this I would have been lynched. As one of the more active in favour of the cause of the homosexuals, he stated that former members of their society have been granted asylum in the UK today and in the Scandinavian countries, by describing the situation they live in in Albania and providing proof of their maltreatment. “We have done our best to help them, because we know only too well the suffering and hardship of living in this country, in our situation,” he explained.
The Homosexuals and the Law
It is strange just how difficult it is to meet representatives of the Association of Homosexuals in Tirana. S.L., obviously a homosexual by his mannerisms says, “We do not have a venue where we can come together. Even in the Arab countries, although it is forbidden, maps do indicate where homosexuals may be located, whereas we have to cope with the most unthinkable hardships to be able to meet someone. “Someone put a gun to my head, once,” said one of the homosexuals, who never removed a baseball cap from his head for a single moment. A big guy and extremely clean cut, he did not speak much. One of our associates has had about one thousand encounters in two years with other homosexuals, and many of them with people you never imagined would seek a homosexual relationship or experience. However, S.L. explains that if you open your mouth and talk about these liaisons, you will certainly live to regret it. Three other members of the Association said that they had thought things would improve, but instead, they’ve deteriorated, they complained.
On 5 June, 1995, the Association of Albanian Homosexuals was officially recognized. This occurred for the first time ever in Albanian history. The new Criminal Code that had come into force on 1 June of that year also facilitated the registration of this Association. Perhaps, what expedited their legitimate recognition was the wholesale violence exercised against them in the nineties’. However, after the departure of the Leader and some of the initial members, they also split the Association into two (a usual phenomenon with Albanian associations). ) One of these Associations is registered under the name of ALGA. This Association is a member, with full rights, of the ILGA (the International Association of Gays and Lesbians. “It is not as though there has been any marked improvement of the situation of the homosexuals in Albania in the years that followed. Discrimination against them continues from all parts of society, as well as the institutions,” says the lawyer of the Albanian Human Rights Committee in Tirana, Genc Terpo.
How did the homosexuals first become known?
The 1994 was to bring this issue to the attention of the public for the first time. Members of the association in head-on conflict with the Police. “On the night of 14 October, three members of the newly formed group known as the Association of Albanian Homosexuals were seen by a police patrol in Tirana. For several hours they were beaten up by the Police who wanted to find out the name of their chairman of the Group and the names of the members. The police broke the leg of one of the members in flagrant maltreatment. In fact, one of the members broke down and began revealing the names of his friends. Other homosexuals were immediately dragged out of their homes. The President of the group was one of them. During this “investigation” they were clearly informed that they belonged to an illegal organization (because homosexuality was still illegal in Albania, hence the association had not been able to even register its existence officially). They were even accused of espionage. One of the members who admitted to being gay, was sentenced in compliance with legislation on “homosexuality,” says material on the website of the organization, referring to an article published by a foreign journalist.
On 29 March, 1994, ten gay males met secretly and founded the first group of homosexuals in Albania. They called this group the Association of Albanian Homosexuals. On 20 January, 1995, the Albanian Assembly legitimized consensual, homosexual relationships. De jure, homosexuality is actually a legitimate relationship. On 5 June, 1995, the Association of Albanian Homosexuals was officially recognized. This occurred for the very first time in the history of Albania, the official recognition of an association of homosexuals.
The Albanian Human Rights Group believes that the number of homosexuals in the capital is around three and a half thousand. Albania has no accurate figures, because the group itself is wracked by discord. Irrespective of the fact that legislation regarding homosexuality as a criminal offense has been abrogated; they still remain vehemently cursed by an aggressive society that despises them and by official instances that blatantly ignore their rights. They themselves still meet in secret. Some of them have been granted asylum, while different racketeers have taken advantage of their situation to gain the status of asylum abroad.
