Four lawyers, Arben Peçi, Dorian Matlija, Gjon Kodra and Eduart Qehaja, have legally challenged the fines imposed on them by the Special Court against Corruption and Organized Crime, following their absence from court hearings.
The absences occurred due to a boycott by lawyers, due to the censorship regulation in the GJKKO. The National Chamber of Advocates had decided to boycott the sessions in the GJKKO indefinitely and then also the security measures, after the debate on the regulation, which, among other things, limits the introduction of mobile phones into the courtrooms.
In this situation, several sessions have failed, while lawyers who have been absent have been fined between 5,000 and 10,000 new lek. Dorian Matlija has been among the lawyers who have publicly opposed the way the regulation has been implemented.
Lawyers oppose the measures and demand the 'revocation of the fine', linking their absences to the collective stance of the legal profession towards the new regulation.
For almost a month, no trial has been held at the Court of First Instance against Corruption and Organized Crime. After the August holidays, only a few court sessions were held in the first week of the month, while since September 9, when lawyers began a boycott against the censorious regulation of the Court of First Instance against Corruption and Organized Crime, all trials have failed, including those against 'VIP' names in politics and organized crime.
The latest was this Tuesday against Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj. Judge Elsa Ulliri not only fined the lawyers 10,000 lek each for their absence but also suspended the pre-trial detention terms for Veliaj, the only one with a security measure of prison arrest in his file.
So, the consequences of implementing a regulation are falling on the defendants, not only with the delay of the processes against them but also more severely, as in the case of Veliaj or Meta with the suspension of detention terms. The arrested are also penalized by the failure to consider their requests for review of security measures.
