Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TIRANA578
2006-06-02 08:36:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Tirana
Cable title:
MEDIA AND NGO SCRUTINY PROMPTS INVESTIGATION INTO
how-toVZCZCXYZ0008 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHTI #0578/01 1530836 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 020836Z JUN 06 FM AMEMBASSY TIRANA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4362 INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 2916 RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1131 RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 5278 RUEHVJ/AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO 0428 RUEHVB/AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 2933 RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE RHMFISS/COMSOCEUR VAIHINGEN GE RUFNPKB/COMUSNAVEUR POLAD NAPLES IT RUEHNA/DEA HQS WASHDC RUCNFB/FBI WASHINGTON DC RUEAHLC/HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHINGTON DC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RHFJUSC/US CUSTOMS SERVICE WASHDC RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2152 RUEHPS/USOFFICE PRISTINA 3413
UNCLAS TIRANA 000578
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE (MBENEDICT)
NSC FOR BRAUN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM CVIS KFRD KPAO AL
SUBJECT: MEDIA AND NGO SCRUTINY PROMPTS INVESTIGATION INTO
CLAIM OF POLICE BRUTALITY
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. PLEASE HANDLE APPROPRIATELY.
UNCLAS TIRANA 000578
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE (MBENEDICT)
NSC FOR BRAUN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM CVIS KFRD KPAO AL
SUBJECT: MEDIA AND NGO SCRUTINY PROMPTS INVESTIGATION INTO
CLAIM OF POLICE BRUTALITY
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. PLEASE HANDLE APPROPRIATELY.
1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Albanian media have reported widely on the
alleged police mistreatment of a suspected international drug
trafficker and fugitive from US justice. A local human rights
NGO and the Albanian prosecutor's office are investigating
possible police misconduct. At the height of the media frenzy
surrounding the case, Amnesty International (AI) released its
2005 report highlighting violence and abuse by police and
prison officials of a number of criminal detainees. END
SUMMARY.
2. (SBU) On May 19, 2006, Armando Andoni (DOB 09JUN1974, AKA
Arjan Selimi, AKA Brian Foster Burke),a fugitive wanted by
the US Marshalls Service was to be taken before an Albanian
magistrate for fingerprinting in order to positively confirm
his identity. Media reported that in an attempt to avoid
fingerprinting, Andoni removed all of his clothing except his
underpants under the mistaken belief that he would not be
forced to go before a judge in such a state. When it became
apparent that he was to be taken regardless of his partial
nudity, Andoni violently resisted removal from his cell.
Bleeding and dressed only in his underwear, Andoni was
ultimately taken before a judge, but the judge declined to
proceed with the fingerprinting. (NOTE: Born in Albania,
Andoni and his family settled in the US in 1986. In 1998,
Andoni was arrested in Michigan for the distribution of
approximately 1000 kg of marijuana. Released on bail, he fled
the US. Upon arrival in Albania he assumed the identity Arjan
Selimi. END NOTE)
3. (SBU) On May 22, the Albanian Human Rights Group (AHRG)
released a public statement denouncing what it described as
the excessive use of force against Andoni, an act which it
characterized as a human rights violation. AHRG conducted its
own investigation into the matter and concluded that Andoni's
wounds could not have been self-inflicted, as had been
suggested by the police. Elsa Ballauri, Executive Director of
the AHRG, told us that her organization was concerned about
the lack of professionalism in the Albanian police and
particularly the excessive use of force when handling crime
suspects. Ballauri said that a lawyer from the AHRG visited
Andoni in his cell following the incident and concluded that
the defendant had been severely beaten, including wounds to
the back of his body. Following the release of the AHRG
statement, the Tirana District Prosecutor's Office opened an
investigation into the incident.
4. (SBU) The 2005 AI report highlighted the fact that a
number of detainees have reported that they were subjected to
violence or abuse during arrest, in police custody, or in
prison. Released on May 24, the report indicated that in only
a few cases were the offending officers disciplined.
5. (SBU) Even before the fingerprinting incident, the Andoni
case had created a local media sensation when a video of
Andoni and his girlfriend, Inis Gjoni (a semi-famous Albanian
personality) was circulated widely here. The video, taken
from Andoni's cell phone, shows the naked couple snorting a
white powder substance (presumed to be cocaine). Andoni's
defense lawyer has asserted that these images were
inappropriately released to the public by investigators in a
deliberate attempt to embarrass him.
6. (SBU) COMMENT. The extensive media coverage of the alleged
abuse, the championing of the issue by a local human rights
NGO, and the launch of an investigation into police
misconduct indicate, perhaps anecdotally, that Albania is
increasingly able to monitor and combat human rights abuse on
its own. Nevertheless, the AI report and Andoni's alleged
mistreatment underscore the need for better training and
professionalism within the criminal justice system. Poor
treatment of detainees weakens the GoA's credibility
especially when it is doing the right thing in cracking down
on organized crime and corruption. END COMMENT.
RIES
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE (MBENEDICT)
NSC FOR BRAUN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM CVIS KFRD KPAO AL
SUBJECT: MEDIA AND NGO SCRUTINY PROMPTS INVESTIGATION INTO
CLAIM OF POLICE BRUTALITY
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. PLEASE HANDLE APPROPRIATELY.
1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Albanian media have reported widely on the
alleged police mistreatment of a suspected international drug
trafficker and fugitive from US justice. A local human rights
NGO and the Albanian prosecutor's office are investigating
possible police misconduct. At the height of the media frenzy
surrounding the case, Amnesty International (AI) released its
2005 report highlighting violence and abuse by police and
prison officials of a number of criminal detainees. END
SUMMARY.
2. (SBU) On May 19, 2006, Armando Andoni (DOB 09JUN1974, AKA
Arjan Selimi, AKA Brian Foster Burke),a fugitive wanted by
the US Marshalls Service was to be taken before an Albanian
magistrate for fingerprinting in order to positively confirm
his identity. Media reported that in an attempt to avoid
fingerprinting, Andoni removed all of his clothing except his
underpants under the mistaken belief that he would not be
forced to go before a judge in such a state. When it became
apparent that he was to be taken regardless of his partial
nudity, Andoni violently resisted removal from his cell.
Bleeding and dressed only in his underwear, Andoni was
ultimately taken before a judge, but the judge declined to
proceed with the fingerprinting. (NOTE: Born in Albania,
Andoni and his family settled in the US in 1986. In 1998,
Andoni was arrested in Michigan for the distribution of
approximately 1000 kg of marijuana. Released on bail, he fled
the US. Upon arrival in Albania he assumed the identity Arjan
Selimi. END NOTE)
3. (SBU) On May 22, the Albanian Human Rights Group (AHRG)
released a public statement denouncing what it described as
the excessive use of force against Andoni, an act which it
characterized as a human rights violation. AHRG conducted its
own investigation into the matter and concluded that Andoni's
wounds could not have been self-inflicted, as had been
suggested by the police. Elsa Ballauri, Executive Director of
the AHRG, told us that her organization was concerned about
the lack of professionalism in the Albanian police and
particularly the excessive use of force when handling crime
suspects. Ballauri said that a lawyer from the AHRG visited
Andoni in his cell following the incident and concluded that
the defendant had been severely beaten, including wounds to
the back of his body. Following the release of the AHRG
statement, the Tirana District Prosecutor's Office opened an
investigation into the incident.
4. (SBU) The 2005 AI report highlighted the fact that a
number of detainees have reported that they were subjected to
violence or abuse during arrest, in police custody, or in
prison. Released on May 24, the report indicated that in only
a few cases were the offending officers disciplined.
5. (SBU) Even before the fingerprinting incident, the Andoni
case had created a local media sensation when a video of
Andoni and his girlfriend, Inis Gjoni (a semi-famous Albanian
personality) was circulated widely here. The video, taken
from Andoni's cell phone, shows the naked couple snorting a
white powder substance (presumed to be cocaine). Andoni's
defense lawyer has asserted that these images were
inappropriately released to the public by investigators in a
deliberate attempt to embarrass him.
6. (SBU) COMMENT. The extensive media coverage of the alleged
abuse, the championing of the issue by a local human rights
NGO, and the launch of an investigation into police
misconduct indicate, perhaps anecdotally, that Albania is
increasingly able to monitor and combat human rights abuse on
its own. Nevertheless, the AI report and Andoni's alleged
mistreatment underscore the need for better training and
professionalism within the criminal justice system. Poor
treatment of detainees weakens the GoA's credibility
especially when it is doing the right thing in cracking down
on organized crime and corruption. END COMMENT.
RIES