Albania revises Criminal Procedure Code following Council of Europe recommendations

Albanian Minister of Justice Toni Gogu announced that recommendations from the Council of Europe regarding pre-trial detention are being integrated into the ongoing revision of the Criminal Procedure Code. The reform aims to strengthen individual liberty guarantees and improve the implementation of alternatives to imprisonment.

Key areas under review include criteria for pre-trial detention, the necessity for individualized justification of security measures, and increased access to materials supporting detention requests. The Ministry of Justice is also working to reinstate electronic monitoring to provide courts with viable alternatives to incarceration. Funding has been secured for 2027, with the goal of having an operational electronic monitoring system by March 2027. Gogu emphasized that the state must balance effective criminal prosecution with the protection of due process and personal freedom.