Press Release

General Prosecution and UNICEF, joint trainings on minors’ treatment in pre-detention

The General Prosecutor, z. Adriatik Llalla and the diplomatic representative of UN Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), Mr. Detlef Palm, expressed maximal well-understanding on treatment of prosecutors and judiciary police officers on criminal matters, with minors involved as accused.

Mr. Llalla expressed to Mr. Palm the commitment of the prosecution body on special treatment carried out in these cases, as well as expressed the need for continuous training of the accusation’s representatives in connection with investigation, pre-detention measures and punishment of under 18 minors involved in criminal acts.

Furthermore, Mr. Llalla pointed out he has issued an instruction on “specialized prosecutors   on treatment of minors to engage with the treatment of Judiciary Police Officers, especially those attached to State Police structures, so they pay special attention regarding the escort and questioning of minors. In each case, minors should be accompanied by their legal representatives, relatives or guardians, as well as obligatorily by a psychologist. On the other side, prosecutors should be oriented to follow a more re-integrating than punishing policy against minors, requesting alternative punishment measures tending towards their correction and education”.

On his behalf, Mr. Palm, following the presentation of some problematic issues noticed in the correction institutions in Albania, guaranteed the General Prosecutor he will offer maximal support on training of prosecutors and judiciary police officers’ staff in connection with the ways of minors’ treatment in accordance with international acts regulating this issue.