Albania Under Fire Again for Extradition Decision

Albania has come under fire again for a decision to extradite murder suspect Almir Rrapo to the United States in defiance of a binding measure from the European Court of Human Rights.

The Rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, David Darchiashvili, expressed his deep concern at the decision to extradite Rrapo despite a binding interim measure ordered by the European Court of Human Rights to halt the extradition.

“The Parliamentary Assembly will debate this issue at its January session and will certainly take a clear stand strongly condemning the unacceptable disregard of European Convention on Human Rights requirements,” Darchiashvili said.

Almir Rrapo was transferred by Albanian authorities to FBI officials at Tirana’s Mother Theresa airport on November 24 and flown to the US to face trial on charges of murder, kidnapping and racketeering.

Two days later, on November 26, Albania’s Supreme Court annulled the extradition of Rrapo, but the ruling arrived too late.

Despite an order from the Strasbourg Human Rights Court to halt the extradition until the Albanian Supreme Court delivered its ruling, the country’s Minister of Justice Bujar Nishani signed the transfer of the suspect to US authorities.

Rrapo’s lawyers had contested his extradition, arguing that the Albanian authorities had not received guarantees from the US Justice Department that the defendant would not receive the death penalty in a US court.

Rrapo was arrested by Albanian Police inside the US embassy in Tirana on July 2. He worked previously as an aide to former foreign minister Ilir Meta, who currently serves as the country’s economy minister.

His arrest created a political storm in Albania, with the opposition calling for the resignation of Foreign Minister Ilir Meta over his hiring of Rrapo as an aide.

He is alleged to have been part of a racketeering group known as the Krasniqi Organisation, led by brothers Bruno and Saimir Krasniqi, which operated in New York, Connecticut and Michigan.

Rrapo denied the charges during his extradition hearings in Tirana.

The gang is accused of operating various criminal schemes including the murder and kidnapping of rival drug dealers and the trafficking of marijuana.

In total, 15 suspects have been charged with 13 counts including murder, kidnapping, narcotics trafficking, extortion, robbery, arson, obstruction of justice, and the transportation of stolen goods.