Crime in Albania

Last updated

Police vehicle parked in Tirana. Police car Albania 04.jpg
Police vehicle parked in Tirana.

Crime in Albania is moderate, but occurs in various forms. A crime is described as an act against the Albanian Penal Code for which there are judicial consequences such as punishments or fines. [1] The Penal Code is based on the Constitution of the Republic of Albania, with general principles of international criminal law ratified by the Albanian state. Crimes in Albania can only be committed within the territory of the Republic of Albania, land space, maritime waters and air space under the sovereignty of the Albanian state. Albanian law is also applicable to foreign citizens committing crimes against or within the Albanian state. Crimes committed against humanity, which violate the independent and constitutional order are punishable. It is not possible to be punished for a crime through a violation of a law which is not written in the Albanian legal code. Internationally protected civilians are included in the Albanian protective system and can be extradited according to international agreements.

Contents

Causal factors and attributes

There are many socio-cultural and socio-political factors connected to the criminal culture and statistics in Albania and amongst Albanians which is based on religious and cultural factors, such family relations and the former Communist system. Studies on the complexity of Albanian honor violence is an area which requires a careful approach as family members involved will often hold onto cultural values passionately, and no single factor can be explanatory. [2] Historical factors, tribalism, warfare and low socio-economical factors, combined with a history of blood feuds, also contribute to crimes statistics. This results in isolation amongst families trapped in blood feuds and a decrease in the belief of the modern justice system. Studies on the Albanian blood feuds phenomena show that poor living conditions, mountainous habitats and low education contribute to isolation. [3] Poverty in low income regions has also led to prostitution and organized crime, with children mostly being the victims. In general, crimes related to honor and masculinity tend to be stronger in Mediterranean countries, like Albania, than in northern Europe. Albanian families tend to feel obliged to take personal matters into their own hands as the trust for the judicial system is rather low. [4]

Origin

The first traces of criminality being handled within a system of codes, in the present day area of Albania, was in the 15th-century where the Kanun law was practiced amongst Albanian mountaineers. Although primitive, the system worked well, was often fast, cheap and left few crimes unsolved, in comparison with other European counterparts. [5] Customary law was considered to be more authoritarian than written laws amongst Albanians. [6]

Crime during the Ottoman and Medieval period

As the Pashaliks of Scutari, Yanina, Berat, and Monastir all strived for decentralized systems of power in the mid-18th to the mid-19th centuries, lawlessness erupted as a central authority was absent. This meant that the Albanian pashaliks were responsible for their region and could personally alter the penal code for the citizens, though most Albanian local lords were still under the jurisdiction of the Sultan. For a period, the Albanian beys negotiated in their favor towards the Sublime Porte which resulted in extended landownership, concentrating power in the hands of a few powerful families. This resulted in a status of extensive lawlessness being imposed on the Albanian provinces, with the local beys fighting each other. The Porte responded with "Divide et impera" hoping to avoid a loss of control. In 1847, during the southern Albanian revolts, the local beys resisted the Porte's taxation system (tanzimat) which risked the feudal relations of merchants and craftsmen. The Albanian highlanders refused to accept the conscriptions of the Nizam law of 1843. [7]

Crime in the 20th century

Albanian law was first officially applicable to Albanian citizens in 1912 after the Albanian declaration of independence. The government approved the decision of "the new organization of justice" on May 10, 1913. With the decision of the Conference of Ambassadors in London, and with Prince Wilhelm zu Weid becoming the prince of Albania on April 10, 1914, the "Organic Statute of Albania" was proclaimed in Vlore. There was a council of the elderly, judges of peace, first instance courts and courts of appeal. [8] Albanian criminal justice system was the same as of other European socialist countries in 1946 with the model of the People's Republic of Albania in 1946 being taken from the USSR. In 129, the Penal Code of the former Kingdom of Albania was in force. Between 1945 and 1952, the penal law was separated with different enactments and criminal procedures. A new code was adopted in 1952. With the constitutional reform of 1977, the Penal code was reformed and has been practiced since then. An entirely new code was brought to practice at the end of 1990. The code of criminal procedure was first adopted in 1953 and in 1968, a system of advocates was established. In 1991, the Constitution was changed by the new pluralist parliament after the election of March 31, 1991. [9] The gap between the authorities and the population increased after the fall of communism which increased religious practices and nationalism. In the 1990s, religious aids were sent to Albania as an antidote to the crime waves. When the isolation ended, many Albanians settled abroad, and after having gathered information from other groups, an independent Albanian network of organized crime emerged. [10]

Today

Much of the crimes committed today are tied to the Albanian mafia both in Albania, but also in other European countries. The cocaine market in the UK is owned by the Albanian mafia. [11] There are also problems with Albanian media portraying murders as "blood feuds" and many who are arrested suspected of murder use the phrase "I did it for blood feud" thus complicating forensic investigations. There also signs of "blood feud certificates" where civilians purchase certificates by corrupt officials in order to apply for asylum in European countries with complicated stories of blood feuds. Albanian authorities are however quick to file reports and initiate prosecutions, with serious penalty, thus lowering the murder rate. However, a change of culture is needed in order to eradicate the phenomenon, requiring roughly 25 years.[ citation needed ]

There is also a cultural phenomenon of how organized crime is portrayed in modern-day media, with Albanians being portrayed as mainly antagonists. Organized crimes is defined by UN as "a structured group of three or more persons, existing for a period of time and acting in concert with the aim of committing one or more serious crimes or offences established in accordance with this Convention, in order to obtain, directly or indirectly, a financial or other material benefit". [12] Albanian organized crime has become a transnational phenomenon with ties in Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and the Italian and Colombian mafia as well. Much of the organized crimes is based on families with consanguinity belonging to the same clan and village. The networks are made of "people of the village" which discourages dropouts. Organized crime in Albania has also expanded on the European heroin market which has led media corporates displaying Albanian criminals' main objectives as drug trafficking, human trafficking, car trafficking and money laundering. Albanian authorities have been criticized by the international community because they do not hinder criminal activities. In 2013, The U.S. Department of state pointed out in a report the necessity of the implementation of laws and convictions of suspects. The Albanian authorities have decreased anti-trafficking law enforcements as a result of a lack of evidence. Family ties and nepotism and favouritism is seen as a possible factor in the corruption amongst Albanian officials in the court system resulting in difficulties in investigations which has put Albania in the 116th place of 175 countries in accordance to the Corruption Perception Index. Money laundering helps syndicates diversify their revenues, which is a result of the fall of communism, which allowed for organized crime to penetrate into politics. In May, 2019, the Albanian government was criticized for having links to the organized crime. [13]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Organized crime</span> Groupings of highly centralized criminal enterprises

Organized crime is a category of transnational, national, or local group of centralized enterprises run to engage in illegal activity, most commonly for profit. While organized crime is generally thought of as a form of illegal business, some criminal organizations, such as terrorist groups, rebel forces, and separatists, are politically motivated. Many criminal organizations rely on fear or terror to achieve their goals or aims as well as to maintain control within the organization and may adopt tactics commonly used by authoritarian regimes to maintain power. Some forms of organized crime simply exist to cater towards demand of illegal goods in a state or to facilitate trade of goods and services that may have been banned by a state. Sometimes, criminal organizations force people to do business with them, such as when a gang extorts protection money from shopkeepers. Street gangs may often be deemed organized crime groups or, under stricter definitions of organized crime, may become disciplined enough to be considered organized. A criminal organization can also be referred to as an outfit, a gang, crime family, mafia, mob, (crime) ring, or syndicate; the network, subculture, and community of criminals involved in organized crime may be referred to as the underworld or gangland. Sociologists sometimes specifically distinguish a "mafia" as a type of organized crime group that specializes in the supply of extra-legal protection and quasi-law enforcement. Academic studies of the original "Mafia", the Italian Mafia, as well as its American counterpart, generated an economic study of organized crime groups and exerted great influence on studies of the Russian mafia, the Chinese triads, the Hong Kong triads, and the Japanese yakuza.

The 'Ndrangheta is an Italian mafia-type criminal syndicate, based in the peninsular region of Calabria and dating back to the 19th century. Although loosely structured, it is considered one of the most powerful organized crime groups in the world. It is characterized by a horizontal structure made up of autonomous clans known as 'ndrine, based almost exclusively on blood ties. Since the 1950s, following wide-scale emigration from Calabria, 'Ndrangheta clans dispersed to other European countries, Australia and the Americas. Currently, its main activity is drug trafficking, but it also deals with arms trafficking, money laundering, racketeering, extortion, and loan sharking.

Life imprisonment is any sentence of imprisonment for a crime under which the convicted criminal is to remain in prison for the rest of their natural life. Crimes that result in life imprisonment are considered extremely serious and usually violent. Examples of these crimes are murder, torture, terrorism, child abuse resulting in death, rape, espionage, treason, illegal drug trade, human trafficking, severe fraud and financial crimes, aggravated property damage, arson, hate crime, kidnapping, burglary, robbery, theft, piracy, aircraft hijacking, and genocide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ottoman Albania</span> Period in Albanian history from the 14th to the 20th century

Ottoman Albania was a period in Albanian history from the Ottoman conquest in the late 15th century to the Albanian declaration of Independence and official secession from the Ottoman Empire in 1912. The Ottomans first entered Albania in 1385 upon the invitation of the Albanian noble Karl Thopia to suppress the forces of the noble Balša II during the Battle of Savra. They had some previous influence in some Albanian regions after the battle of Savra in 1385 but not direct control. The Ottomans placed garrisons throughout southern Albania by 1420s and established formal jurisdiction in central Albania by 1431. Even though The Ottomans claimed rule of all Albanian lands, most Albanian ethnic territories were still governed by medieval Albanian nobility who were free of Ottoman rule. The Sanjak of Albania was established in 1420 or 1430 controlling mostly central Albania, while Ottoman rule became more consolidated in 1481, after the fall of Shkodra and League of Lezhe with the country being mostly free in the period of 1443–1481. Albanians revolted again in 1481 but the Ottomans finally controlled Albania by 1488.

A feud, also known in more extreme cases as a blood feud, vendetta, faida, clan war, gang war, private war, or mob war, is a long-running argument or fight, often between social groups of people, especially families or clans. Feuds begin because one party perceives itself to have been attacked, insulted, injured, or otherwise wronged by another. Intense feelings of resentment trigger an initial retribution, which causes the other party to feel greatly aggrieved and vengeful. The dispute is subsequently fuelled by a long-running cycle of retaliatory violence. This continual cycle of provocation and retaliation usually makes it extremely difficult to end the feud peacefully. Feuds can persist for generations and may result in extreme acts of violence. They can be interpreted as an extreme outgrowth of social relations based in family honor. A mob war is a time when two or more rival families begin open warfare with one another, destroying each other's businesses and assassinating family members. Mob wars are generally disastrous for all concerned, and can lead to the rise or fall of a family.

The Kanun is a set of Albanian traditional customary laws, which has directed all the aspects of the Albanian tribal society.

"Mafia", as an informal or general term, is often used to describe criminal organizations that bear a strong similarity to the original Mafia in Sicily, to the Italian-American Mafia, or to other organized crime groups from Italy. The central activity of such an organization would be the arbitration of disputes between criminals, as well as the organization and enforcement of illicit agreements between criminals through the use of threat or violence. Mafias often engage in secondary activities such as gambling, loan sharking, drug-trafficking, prostitution, and fraud.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime</span> United Nations treaty against crime

The United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime is a 2000 United Nations-sponsored multilateral treaty against transnational organized crime.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Organized crime in Italy</span> Prevalent criminal organizations and activities in Italy

Criminal organizations have been prevalent in Italy, especially in the southern part of the country, for centuries and have affected the social and economic life of many Italian regions. There are major native mafia-like organizations that are heavily active in Italy. The most powerful of these organizations are the Camorra from Campania, the 'Ndrangheta from Calabria and the Cosa Nostra from Sicily.

A crime family is a unit of an organized crime syndicate, particularly in Italian organized crime and especially in the Sicilian Mafia and Italian-American Mafia, often operating within a specific geographic territory or a specific set of activities. In its strictest sense, a family is a criminal gang, operating either on a unitary basis or as an organized collection of smaller gangs. In turn, a family can be a sole "enterprise" or part of a larger syndicate or cartel. Despite the name, most crime families are generally not based on or formed around actual familial connections, although they do tend to be ethnically based, and many members may in fact be related to one another. Crime "families" tend to be associated more directly with their respective territories than the individuals to whom their members may or may not be related.

Albanian mafia or Albanian organized crime are the general terms used for criminal organizations based in Albania or composed of ethnic Albanians. Albanian organized crime is active in Europe, North America, South America, and various other parts of the world including the Middle East and Asia. The Albanian mafia participates in a diverse range of criminal enterprises including trafficking in drugs, arms, and humans. Due to their close ties with the 'Ndrangheta of Calabria, they control a large part of the billion dollar wholesale cocaine market in Europe and appear to be the primary distributors of cocaine in various European drug hubs including London. Albanian organized crime is characterized by diversified criminal enterprises which, in their complexity, demonstrate a very high criminal capacity. In Albania, there are over 15 mafia families that control organized crime.

The Israeli mafia are the organized crime groups operating in Israel or consisting of Israeli members. There are 16 crime families operating in Israel, five major groups active on the national level and 11 smaller organizations. There are six Jewish crime families active and three Arab crime families. Many heads and members of the crime groups have either been killed or are in prison.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Human trafficking in Finland</span>

Finland is a transit, destination, and a limited source country for women, men and girls subjected to forced marriage, forced labor and sex trafficking. Finnish legislation condemns trafficking as a crime and has met the standards of the EU Protocol even before the convention came into effect. NGOs and the government cooperate in providing help for the victims of trafficking in Finland. Although the Finnish Police investigated and referred more people to care in 2013, prosecution and conviction numbers of suspected offenders remain low relative to the number of potential victims. The government is currently working on improving the anti-trafficking laws and practices to improve the situation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crime in Bulgaria</span>

Crime in Bulgaria is combated by the Bulgarian police and other agencies. The UK Government ranks Bulgaria as a high crime area and crime there has significantly increased in recent years, largely due to the involvement of the bulgarian mafia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crime in Germany</span>

Crime in Germany is handled by the German police forces and other agencies.

Crime in Denmark is combated by the Danish Police and other agencies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crime in Cuba</span>

Though the Cuban government does not release official crime statistics, Cuba is considered one of the safer countries in Latin America. Gun crime is virtually nonexistent, drug trafficking has been largely curtailed, and there is below-average crisis intervention from police. Murder rates are also below those of most Latin American countries, with an intentional homicide rate of 5.00/100,000 inhabitants in 2016, lower than any other country in the region.

Greek mafia is the colloquial term describing various large-scale organized crime elements originating in Greece or operated by Greeks. Indigenous organized criminal groups are well-established in the largest Greek urban centers, particularly in Athens.

The Ukrainian mafia is a collective of various organized crime related elements originating in Ukraine. Such organizations are regarded as one of the most influential types of organized crime coming out of the former USSR, including also the Russian mafia, the Georgian mafia, the Chechen mafia, the Armenian mafia and the Azerbaijani mafia. Ukrainian criminal organizations are involved in a significant number of illegal activities. Although Ukrainian criminal organizations are for the most part independently operating enterprises, they are sometimes connected with Russian mafia organizations, such as the case with Semyon Mogilevich.

Organised crime in Singapore has a long history with secret societies such as Ghee Hin Kongsi carrying out their activities in the 19th century. These organized groups hold great relevance to Singaporean modern history. Since 1890, organized groups began fading from Singapore, decline in street organized crime in the past years due to legislation has been put place to ensure authorities suppress the activities of criminal gangs. Contemporary Singapore witnessed a significant rise in other forms of crime —organised cyber-crime.

References

  1. ↑ CRIMINAL CODE OF THE REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA KODI PENAL I REPUBLIKËS SË SHQIPËRISË (PDF) (Law No. 7895, dated 27 January 1995 ed.). Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  2. ↑ Arsovska, Jana (2007). Social Confusion on the Road to Modernity: The Meaning of (PDF). Final results of a 2006 CERGE-EI GDN Project June, 2007. pp. 7, 11.
  3. ↑ Xhaxho, Sokol (2018). The Phenomenon of Blood feud Among Albanians and its impact on Children. Lund University: Lund University, Department of Sociology. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  4. ↑ Office, Home (2018). Country Policy and Information Note Albania: Blood feuds (PDF). London. Retrieved 10 November 2019.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. ↑ "The influence of Ottoman rule on Albanian political sociology :: Center for Islamic Pluralism". www.islamicpluralism.org.
  6. ↑ Crime, Punishment and Forensic Expertise According to the Albanian Tradition - A Commentary on the Native Customary Law (PDF). 2014. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  7. ↑ Papageorgiou, Stefanos P. (2014). "The attitude of the Beys of the Albanian Southern Provinces (Toskaria) towards Ali Pasha Tepedelenli and the Sublime Porte (mid-18th-mid-19th centuries). The case of "der 'e madhe" [: Great House] of the Beys of Valona". Cahiers Balkaniques (in French). 42. doi: 10.4000/ceb.3520 . Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  8. ↑ "History of Albanian Prosecution". www.pp.gov.al.
  9. ↑ Imholz, Kathleen (2000). "Albania's Evolving Socialist Party: Some Comments on Postcommunist Party Development and Pluralism". East European Constitutional Review. 9: 82.
  10. ↑ Knox, George W.; Etter, Gregg; Smith, Carter F. (2018). Gangs and Organized Crime. Taylor & Francis. ISBN   9781351644891 . Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  11. ↑ Weaver, Matthew (29 June 2017). "Albanian gangs have significant control over UK cocaine market, says crime agency". The Guardian.
  12. ↑ Siarhei, Kastrama. The pattern of Albanian organized crime in cinema . Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  13. ↑ "Albania government denies links to organised crime". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.