In 2022, an in-depth investigation by the Internal Prison Control Service uncovered the phenomenon of fictitious reports on prisoners.
The inspection conducted at the Fier Penitentiary and the 313 Penitentiary in Tirana revealed how prisoners provided documents with false data regarding rehabilitation criteria, good behavior or fictitious work days.
These reports then served them to obtain a reduced sentence or to benefit from conditional release, as revealed in the investigative materials.
"Problems were found that have the character and fulfill the elements of criminal offenses, which are specifically mentioned: 19 cases of behavioral assessments for reduced sentences where false facts and circumstances were reflected.
6 cases of behavior assessment for conditional release reflected false facts and circumstances. 28 convicts were fictitiously given working days by the Fier Penitentiary Institution, through falsification of documents or abuse of duty performed by Penitentiary employees.
In connection with the abusive scheme, at least 18 prison officials were placed under house arrest. However, the appeal softened the measures at that time, leaving them under obligation to report.
Among the important names of the criminal world who had benefited was Viktor Ymeri , a former member of the Gaxhai gang of Vlora.
In fact, Ymeri was released in 2019 precisely by taking advantage of a reduction in sentence for good behavior or reports that he had worked in prison. One of the cases in the series that caused quite a stir at the time.
'This has been fixed now, we don't have such things because previously, there was probably abuse with fictitious registration in the various jobs that were done in prisons and they probably benefited from unfair days, since the jobs were not carried out by them themselves but were carried out by other people,' said Bledar Meminaj, a lawyer.
Despite his release, Vlora strongman Viktor Ymeraj was arrested again for other crimes that were discovered. In 2022, investigative bodies found that Ymeraj had received a 70-day reduction in sentence under the same scheme, despite the fact that there was a disciplinary measure against him.
"The behavior assessment does not reflect the disciplinary measure given to the convict Viktor Ymeraj on 23.03.2020, as from 23.03.2020 to 23.03.2021 this convict was under the effect of the disciplinary measure.
In October 2018, Muhamed Sallahi brutally executed 30-year-old Holti Hajdari with a knife. In prison, this citizen had shown problematic behavior and had received disciplinary measures, but this did not prevent him from receiving a reduced sentence. He had even received a document from the prison for good behavior that he presented to the court.
"FIER has sent to the Fier District Court the assessment of behavior no. 603 dated 03.06.2021, not reflecting the disciplinary measure taken by the convict Muhamed Sallahi, which has resulted in the unfair benefit of 90 days of sentence reduction which are given as a reward for good behavior. FIER has presented false facts and circumstances in this case."
The long list of characters who benefited from false reports also included several drug growers or traffickers.
Among them is citizen Sokol Burhamaj, identified in 2015 as the leader of a group that trafficked drugs to Italy using small planes.
One of the characters arrested in the framework of the "Tempulli" anti-drug operations had also used the legal space for reducing the sentence. Groups that also distributed drugs in schools.
The convict who benefited was Bebeto Basha./ InsideStory