OSCE Presence Holds Seminar on Albanian Domestic Violence Law

03 May 2007

Albanian judges, prosecutors and police officers took part in seminars in the last two weeks on assisting victims of domestic violence. They were organized by the OSCE Presence in Albania, the Council of Europe and the Albanian School of Magistrates, and focused on the Law on Domestic Violence, which will enter into force in June.

Over 120 participants from Gjirokastra, Vlora and Tirana discussed the main novelties of the law and how to request and issue protection orders against perpetrators of domestic violence.

Maya Goldstein, Senior Judicial Officer of the Presence, said reports issued by the OSCE have found that domestic violence crimes were under-investigated, under-prosecuted and not adequately punished. "The new power granted to the courts to issue civil protection orders provides victims of violence with speedy and affordable remedies, and sends the message that perpetrators will be held accountable," she added.

The OSCE Presence assisted in drafting the Domestic Violence Law, the first of its kind in Albania.

The law was proposed by civil society and adopted by the Assembly on 18 December 2006. It obliges State structures to respond immediately to cases of domestic violence and protect the victims.

The seminars were part of the Presence's 'Women's Access to Justice' project. Under the project, 50 lawyers were trained on the law in March in Tirana and Vlora. Future activities by the Presence in this area will include training NGOs on the new law.