The court upheld the decision of the First Instance Court. Due to commuted sentence, Tahiri will serve 3 years and 4 months in prison.

“The College of the Special Court of Appeal for Corruption and Organized Crime decided to uphold the decision of the First Instance Court for Serious Crimes in Tirana with the following change; non-execution of Article 59 of the Criminal Code for the defendant Saimir Tahiri, the imprisonment sentence for Tahiri starts from the day of execution of this decision and is served in a minimum security prison. The Special Prosecution Office for Corruption and Organized Crime is in charge of the execution of this decision. The time line for a recourse to the High Court is 45 days, starting from the next day of the reasoned notification, ” according to the presiding judge.

The presiding judge concluded that the charges that have been proved in his case are: stable connection in time and based on evidence with the defendant in related proceedings, Moisi Habilaj and Artan Habilaj; Such inexplicable links with the Minister of Interior that are known in the community of state, local and central officials have created the opportunity for the infiltration of the criminal group into the ranks of police and state employees with direct repercussions on prevention and crackdown one criminal activities.

“As a result, Saimir Tahiri has consumed elements of the criminal offense of abuse of office, provided by Article 248 of the Criminal Code,” he said.

Tahiri was sentenced by the Serious Crimes Court for abuse of office to 3 years’ probation, while the Special Appeal Court sent the case for retrial to the First Instance Court. The former minister appealed against the conviction and the High Court’s deliberation chamber accepted to adjudicate the case with a new panel, so the former minister’s case was re-examined on appeal for the second time.

Tahiri: I have not broken the law

After the Special Court of Appeal against Corruption and Organized Crime delivered the ruling on 3 years and 4 months’ imprisonment, former Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri stated that he had never violated the law.

“I am just sorry it went that way. I am morally calm, I have never violated the law, I done the utmost to perform my duty . It is a miscarriage of justice,” said Tahiri.
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