TIRANA, Albania, July 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Yesterday, the Albanian High Court determined that Erion Veliaj, the Mayor of Tirana, will remain in detention at IVEP Durres, Albania. The closed-door hearing took place on July 8th, 2025, at 12:00, following a review of the papers. Mayor Veliaj steadfastly rejects the accusations of wrongdoing. He is represented by international counsel Kasowitz LLP and Mishcon de Reya.
After nearly five months in detention and an approximately two-year-long investigation by the Special Prosecutor's Office of the Special Prosecution Office of the Special Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Structure ("SPAK"), Mayor Veliaj is still denied access to his international counsel. Mr Veliaj's ongoing detention brings further distress to his friends and family.
Mr Veliaj's detention without charge has previously been approved by the courts without any meaningful consideration of whether his detention is necessary, proportionate or reasonable, and without any proper consideration of alternatives to detention.
Daniel Fetterman, a former U.S. federal prosecutor and partner of Kasowitz, one of the international law firms that recently issued a joint investigative report concerning Mayor Veliaj's unlawful detention, said:
"The continued detention of Mayor Veliaj - without charges and with other obvious, proportionate and reasonable alternatives to detention available - is contrary to established principles of due process and antithetical to the rule of law."
Mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj said: "Today's decision by Albania's High Court is extremely disappointing.
Today, I should be one step closer to returning home to my family. Instead, I remain imprisoned and in isolation at IVEP Durres, unable to access my international legal counsel or the information I need to properly defend myself against the allegations.
I will continue to pursue all legal avenues so I can get back to serving Tirana."
Ben Brandon, Partner, Mishcon de Reya added:
"The European Convention of Human Rights ("ECHR") prohibits arbitrary detention, and provides that detention must be a necessary, proportionate, and reasonable measure. We await the full decision of the High Court but are considering all available legal remedies. We remain extremely concerned that Mayor Veliaj's ongoing detention violates the ECHR."
A full report on SPAK's unjust detention of Mayor Veliaj can be found here. Kasowitz and Mishcon de Reya will continue to pursue vigorously all available international legal remedies on Mayor Veliaj's behalf.
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Contact Information:
Shannon O'Reilly
(212) 547-1290
SOReilly@kasowitz.com
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