Karanxha breaks with prosecutors: Changes to the Code were necessary, we can’t have prison for everything

The Association of Prosecutors of the Republic of Albania has come out with an official position against the draft amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code presented by the Council of Ministers.

Former prosecutor Ervin Karanxha says the new changes to the Code are necessary.

In an interview for “Ora e Njëmbëdhjetë” on ABC News, Karanxha said it is worrying that the number of detainees exceeds that of convicts.

Karanxha added that prison should not be the only solution.

“The draft is in consultation until 26 October. The prosecutors’ association has expressed its concerns. We have prison overcrowding. Prison arrest is seen as an exceptional measure, as a last resort. There are other measures. This change to the initiative should also be extended to the Criminal Code. We don’t have to have prison for everything. The number of detainees is higher than that of convicts. Increasing the role of the lawyer, and the lawyer also carries out some investigative actions, there is a formal procedure. You have to have transparency. I think it was necessary. The criminal process has the preliminary investigation phase and the trial phase. In the preliminary investigation, the lawyer’s role was small. When the investigation ended, there was a 10-day deadline to file an objection. The number of detainees is very high,” he stressed.