A/HRC/13/6
and practical measures. On registration of children, the Albanian Government has taken
measures for the improvement of the law on the civil registry and civil registration, which,
inter alia, removes the administrative sanctions for those parents who did not register their
children. A number of administrative bodies are now enabled to register births and as a
result, 7,000 previously unregistered children have been declared by their own parents.
45.
On the issue of illegal detention and torture during detention, the delegation stated
that, in 2007, Albania amended article 86 of the Criminal Code providing a definition of
torture, which is now in line with article 1 of the Convention against Torture. The Penal
Procedural Code stipulates that no one should be subjected to torture or degrading
punishment. The Code of Police Ethics prohibits acts of violence in the exercise of police
duties, and the new law on the State Police emphasizes the obligation to maintain public
order in accordance with the law on respecting and observing the human rights of
individuals. In the process of reorganization of the police, Albania established a sector of
complaints and discipline, which analyses and investigates the complaints of any citizen.
Experts who are in charge of verifying the conditions of detention and guaranteeing
constitutional rights have been systematically carrying out inspections at the detention
facilities. In partnership with the Albanian Centre for Human Rights and the Council of
Europe, specific training programmes for law enforcement offices have been organized.
The Department of Crime Investigations at the Ministry of the Interior has published a
manual entitled “Standard work procedures during crime investigations”. The Public Order
Department at the Ministry of the Interior has given authorization to the representatives of
non-governmental organizations to inspect detention centres at any time. In 2008, the
European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment found that the majority of prisoners were treated correctly.
46.
On conditions of detention, the law on the rights and treatment of pre-trial detainees
and prisoners has been amended to prohibit the use of physical force against the
incarcerated unless it is indispensable to stop violence. A new pre-trial detention facility
has been financed by the Albanian Government. Improvements have been made to three
operational detention facilities. The prisons strategy 2008-2013 and the master plan on predetention facilities have been implemented. Further infrastructure improvements and
investments will be done in two other institutions in 2010 and building plans are already
approved for three additional centres. The General Directorate of Prisons is implementing
training programmes which are especially focused on vulnerable groups such as women,
juveniles, drug-addicted persons and those at high risk of committing suicides.
Rehabilitation programmes, educational and vocational training for detainees are in place.
The Probation Service Law has played a crucial role in reducing the prison population,
which diminished by 800 detainees in 2008 and 311 in 2009. All juveniles detainees are
accommodated in separate sections of detention centres and specific educational, vocational
programmes are available to them individually. Presently, there is no case of inhuman
treatment recorded in the Albanian penitentiary system.
47.
The Government adopted a five-year anti-corruption strategy consisting of concrete
measures and monitoring indicators. This strategy is monitored by a inter-ministerial board
constituted at a political and a technical level. Systemic reforms have been developed to
combat corruption in the public administration. The legislation on procurement and
education has been improved in compliance with United Nations and Council of Europe
conventions on fighting corruption. The legislation includes 11 new offences related to
corruption. Albania is part of a group of countries fighting corruption and, in this capacity,
undergoes evaluation tests. The Government has also taken measures to encourage and
reward citizens who denounce cases of corruption. A public administration law introduces
new salary scales for judicial personnel. The national strategy on public administration aims
to change the civil service by improving the recruitment system through meritocracy and
career promotion. In 2009, the Department of Public Administration, in cooperation with
10
Select target paragraph3
Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents