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The 2025 report highlights overcrowding, degrading environments and lack of basic services in the Albanian penitentiary system
The Ombudsman has requested the immediate closure of five penitentiary institutions in the country, arguing that the conditions there violate the dignity and physical and psychological integrity of persons deprived of their liberty. The request was made public in the annual report for 2025, which highlights serious problems in the Albanian penitentiary system.
According to the report, the institutions that should be closed until fully reconstructed are Burreli Prison, Kosova Lushnja, Kukës, “Mine Peza” and Building A of “Jordan Misja” Prison 313.
The Ombudsman emphasizes that these institutions have been found to have dilapidated premises, lack of space, humidity, insufficient ventilation and lighting, as well as inadequate hygiene and sanitation conditions. The report also raises concerns about the difficulties in providing health and rehabilitation services to prisoners.
"These institutions have been found to have dilapidated facilities, lack of space, humidity, insufficient ventilation and lighting, inadequate hygiene and sanitation conditions, and difficulties in providing health and rehabilitation services. These conditions risk violating the dignity and physical and psychological integrity of persons deprived of liberty," the report states.
The People's Advocate, Endrit Shabani, stated that holding prisoners in degrading conditions constitutes a violation of constitutional and international standards.
"When the state keeps prisoners in degrading conditions, it is not punishing them, but humiliating them. Closing these five institutions is a constitutional obligation," he said.
The report's findings are based on inspections conducted in 18 prisons during 2025, as well as on the handling of 115 complaint cases filed with the Ombudsman institution.
The report also highlights the high use of the security measure "prison arrest", a phenomenon that according to the institution has directly influenced prison overcrowding. Currently, there are 5,029 people deprived of their liberty in the Albanian penitentiary system, of whom 2,858 are in pre-trial detention. This represents about 57 percent of the prison population.
According to the report, Albania ranks among the countries with the highest percentage of pre-trial detainees in Europe. Pre-trial detainees spend an average of 253 days in prison without a final court decision.
The most pronounced overcrowding problem has been identified in Lezha prison, where the number of prisoners exceeds capacity by 181 people, or 65 percent above planned capacity. Overcrowding problems are also reported in the “Jordan Misja” prison in Vlora and in Fushë-Krujë.
The report also highlights the lack of basic living conditions in most penitentiary institutions. According to the findings, prisoners keep their personal belongings in plastic bags due to the lack of lockers, while doctors are present only four hours a day. In some cases, regional hospitals have refused to treat prisoners for security reasons.
Another concern relates to the treatment of people with mental health problems. The report notes that there is currently no specialized medical institution for this category, although they are held at the Shën Kolli Penitentiary Institution.
Among the main problems identified are the lack of ventilation, lighting and heating, the lack of basic hygiene products, dysfunctional heating and cooling systems, insufficient food and limited opportunities for rehabilitation and socio-cultural activities.
At the conclusion of the report, the Ombudsman calls on the Government and the Ministry of Justice to review the detention policy, draft an emergency plan for healthcare in prisons, and close the five identified institutions until their full reconstruction.
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