 |
| Protesters against sexual violence in Vlora, November 2023, source: VOA |
The Vlora Court has decided to suspend from duty and prohibit the two employees of the Vlora Police Directorate who are suspected of not conducting a thorough investigation in the case of the rape of a 26-year-old woman.
The Police Oversight Agency and the Vlora Prosecutor's Office have investigated the actions of the state police in this case, leading to the suspension of two employees, Sub-commissioner Ervis Cipa and Ornela Hajrulla.
Interior Minister Taulant Balla reacted on social media to the suspension of the two police officers, expressing that "the case of sexual assault and the instigation of drug use against a girl in Vlora was a serious incident for which justice must fulfill its duties to meet the expectations of the public."
"The delay in carrying out a complete investigation from the very beginning is unforgivable, and even worse, cooperating with the perpetrators," Balla stated.
According to Minister Balla, "the improvement of the State Police's performance is inextricably linked to the self-cleansing process to permanently remove from the healthy body of the state police the elements that are incriminated or violate ethics, tarnishing the hard work of the majority of the State Police who serve the rule of law with unwavering determination and in defense of the citizens of this country."
The Vlora Court has ordered "prison detention" for Albi Ceno and Oltjon Tahir, suspected of forcibly holding and raping a 26-year-old woman in a hotel in Vlora, while Gentjano Mehmeti, who is still at large, is expected to face the same charges. Another individual with the initials V.K. is also sought by the police as a suspect in the incident.
Vlora Police had arrested the two young men on October 21 under suspicion of "inducing a 26-year-old to use drugs and committing sexual intercourse with violence."
In the initial announcement, the police had declared a 32-year-old, Gentiano Mehmeti, wanted in connection with the incident. However, in a subsequent statement, the Vlora police stated that they had "referred the materials to the Prosecutor's Office for the criminal offense 'Inducing drug use' for citizen V.K., 36 years old, resident of Vlora, continuing the work to apprehend him."
According to the police, "this citizen is suspected of collaborating with three other young individuals to induce the 26-year-old to consume narcotics."
Two days ago, in Vlora, a protest was held with the initiative of the "Vatra" Psychosocial Center, organized by civil society organizations, activists, and citizens to demand justice for the raped girl with slogans like "Protect the Victim," "Maximum Punishment for Rapists."
The protesters, mainly women and girls, marched from the Vlora Prosecutor's Office along the promenade to the Skela roundabout, chanting slogans such as "Justice must prevail" and "Stop gender-based violence," among others.
Meanwhile, in the Vlora Municipal Council, some female councilors requested a stand on violence against women and girls through the signing of a resolution.
According to a report from the Albanian Institute of Statistics "Men and Women 2023," there has been an increase in reports of sexual violence in Albania in 2022.