ALBANIA: JUDGE IN ALBANIA REVOKES DEATH SENTENCES ON THREE FORMER COMMUNIST OFFICIALS CONVICTED OF CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY

Record ID: 566071

  • Title: ALBANIA: JUDGE IN ALBANIA REVOKES DEATH SENTENCES ON THREE FORMER COMMUNIST OFFICIALS CONVICTED OF CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY
  • Date: 24th July 1996
  • Summary: TIRANA, ALBANIA (JULY 24, 1996) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. LV DEFENDANTS IN DOCK (THREE EX-COMMUNISTS INITIALLY SENTENCED TO DEATH) 0.07 2. SV DEFENDANTS (LEFT TO RIGHT FORMER SUPREME COURT CHAIRMAN ARANIT CELA, EX-PROSECUTOR GENERAL RRAPI MINO, FORMER DEPUTY INTERIOR MINISTER ZYLYFTAR RAMIZI) 0.11 3. SV JUDGE ENTERS/ PAN TO DEFENDANTS 0.23 4. SV JUDGE READS VERDICTS -- SPARING THE MEN FROM DEATH SENTENCE 0.35 5. MCU MINO LISTENING/RAMIZI LISTENING 0.46 6. MCU CELA LISTENING PULL OUT SV MINO, RAMIZI, CELA 0.56 7. SV PHOTOGRAPHERS/ CAMERAMEN (2 SHOTS) 1.02 8. SV DEFENDANTS EMBRACE RELATIVES 1.11 9. SLV/LV DEFENDANTS LEAVE UNDER POLICE ESCORT (3 SHOTS) 2.01 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 8th August 1996 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: TIRANA, ALBANIA
  • Reuters ID: LVAEABY9IUVHB345TKPUWLMB2MBR
  • Story Text: A judge in Albania has revoked death sentences on three former senior communist officials convicted of crimes against humanity.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------- Three ex-communists sentenced to death by a court in Albania have been spared. Instead two of the men will serve 25 years in jail, the third life imprisonment.

    The appeals court decision comes two months after the three -- former deputy interior minister Zylyftar Ramizi, former Supreme Court chairman Aranit Cela and ex-prosecutor general Rrapi Mino -- were found guilty of crimes against humanity. There was widespread international concern that the men were to be executed.

    Ramizi, who also headed the notorious Sigurimi secret police, had his death sentence commuted to life imprisonment while Cela and Mino each received 25 year jail terms.

    Two other defendants, 83 year old former president Haxhi Lleshi and 77 year old former deputy prime minister Manush Myftiu, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment in May on the same charges of crimes against humanity, each received five years in jail on probation.

    Relatives of Ramizi, Cela and Mino rushed forward to embrace the men after the verdict that their lives had been spared.

    The judge did not give details of his ruling, as is normal practice in Albania.


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