TIRANA, Nov. 4 /ATA- By Maela Marini/ – Democratic Party lawmaker Jorida Tabaku, also chair of parliament’s Committee on Human Rights and Public Information Media, on Wednesday called for Interior Minister Ervin Demo to appear before the committee to address police conduct towards protesters.
Opening the committee meeting, Tabaku said the hearing was needed to examine what she described as serious human rights violations over the past three weeks.
“Some 1,000 young people have been detained and 250 taken to police stations, including minors. Sixty journalists have also faced attacks, threats, intimidation and verbal abuse by police. We cannot act as though nothing has happened. This committee has a duty to address human rights issues,” she said.
Tabaku described the government’s normative act on public gatherings as unconstitutional, saying the main opposition Democratic Party would take the case to the Constitutional Court.
She also alleged that citizens were being stopped by unidentified individuals in unmarked vehicles and fined for taking part in protests.
“What kind of country imposes fines for exercising the constitutional right to protest? I know of no functioning democracy where citizens are prosecuted for taking part in demonstrations,” she said.
Tabaku warned that constitutional rights were under serious pressure, also criticising proposed amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code, which she said undermined justice reform and restricted the right to information.
“Human rights must remain at the top of the agenda. Neither parliament nor this committee can afford to overlook these issues,” she said, accusing the government of pursuing a series of unconstitutional initiatives.
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