The court was responding to a request by the Bar Association to review the regulation, which took effect on September 1, 2026.

GJKKO said the regulation was adopted in accordance with the required procedure and was therefore binding on all participants in judicial proceedings. It said any challenge to the rules did not suspend their legal effect and could not be used as grounds for boycotting hearings.

“GJKKO calls on the Albanian Bar Association to fully implement the regulation, including Article 76. If the Bar Association continues to contest the regulation, it has the relevant legal avenues to challenge it before the competent authorities,” the court said.

The court said lawyers could use laptops throughout hearings to access electronic case files, evidence, case law, submissions and notes.

“The defence lawyer enters the courtroom with their laptop and uses it throughout the hearing in silent mode,” GJKKO said, adding that urgent communication remained possible.

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Bar Association Chairman Maksim Haxhia said the regulation also conflicted with Albania’s law governing the legal profession and several provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code concerning the management and conduct of court hearings.

“It conflicts not only with constitutional provisions, but also with the European Convention on Human Rights and the case law of the Strasbourg court,” Haxhia said, adding that it was also inconsistent with the Council of Europe’s recently adopted convention on the protection of the legal profession, signed by Albania’s justice minister in June.

Haxhia said the Bar Association had formally asked the GJKKO to review the regulation but had received no response as of Tuesday.

“We sent a letter to the GJKKO asking for the regulation to be reviewed, and as of today, Sept. 8, we have received no response, not even an acknowledgement that our request was received,” he said.

He said he had also requested an urgent meeting with the head of Albania’s High Judicial Council (KLGJ) to discuss the matter, but had been told the council would not meet before Sept. 15.

Haxhia particularly criticised a provision banning mobile phones, saying it amounted to discriminatory treatment of lawyers compared with prosecutors.

He argued that the regulation was not intended simply to ensure order and discipline in court, but would instead place lawyers and the defence at a disadvantage.

The GJKKO had not publicly responded to Haxhia’s comments at the time of publication.

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