According to the Intelligence Newsletter, the secret police agency known as the Sigurimi was "wound up" after the fall of the communist government in 1990 (9 Sept. 1999). The Sigurimi was replaced by two new agencies, the domestic intelligence agency Sherbini Informatik Comptor (ShIK), and a military intelligence agency called ShIU (ibid.; ibid. 23 Sept. 1999). According to Human Rights Watch, under the Democratic Party (DP) government of President Sali Berisha (April 1992-July 1997), Albania became "a one party state based on fear and corruption" (HRW 1997; The Washington Post 4 Aug. 1997). Several sources indicate that ShIK played a key role in this transformation, committing serious human rights abuses against the DP government's political opponents and functioning in effect as Berisha's "political police" (Intelligence Newsletter 9 Sept. 1999; HRW Mar. 1996, 61-63; HRW 1997; The Washington Post 4 Aug. 1997; NHC 1998, 8-9; ATA 8 Aug. 1998). Sources indicate that under the Berisha government ShIK agents threatened or attacked journalists (Koha Jone 26 Oct. 1995; HRW Mar. 1996; ATA 14 Mar. 1996), intimidated voters at polling stations (UPI 30 Aug. 1996; The Washington Post 4 Aug. 1997), and used state-controlled media to conduct campaigns against political opponents of the government (HRW Mar. 1996, 61-63). Many of those arrested or detained by ShIK reported physical abuse and torture (ibid. 1997). Berisha's former finance minister, Genc Ruli, accused ShIK officers appointed by Berisha of being heavily involved in smuggling activities (Transitions n.d.), and the British daily The Independent found evidence of ShIK involvement in organized crime, including drug smuggling (ibid. 18 Feb. 1997).

According to a report in the pro-DP daily Albania, the Socialist Party government of Prime Minister Fatos dismissed dozens of senior ShIK officials and officers after it took office on 24 July 1997 (11 Jan. 1998). Nonetheless, reports indicate that ShIK continued to operate with impunity under the new government (Rilindja Demokratike 25 Oct. 1998; The Washington Post 4 Aug. 1997; Albania 12 Jan. 1999). In early August 1997 the new interior minister alleged that ShIK agents were working with Democratic Party officials to form armed committees to resist efforts to restore government control in Shkoder, a Berisha stronghold 120 kilometres north of Tirana (The Washington Post 4 Aug. 1997). In late October 1998 the director of the independent station Radio Kontakt sent a letter to top Albania officials and the OSCE ambassador in Tirana alleging that since it began broadcasting one year earlier, ShIK agents had "continuously threatened our journalists with physical elimination and with blowing up the radio station" (Rilindja Demokratike 25 Oct. 1998). In his letter the director alleged that in September 1998, after being "repeatedly threatened with physical elimination," he was attacked by unknown assailants while leaving the studio (ibid.) In January 1999 the pro-DP Albanian accused ShIK of "kidnapping" a citizen on charges of terrorism and then conducting a campaign against the person in the press (Albania 12 Jan. 1999).

In 1998 the government introduced a draft law "On the National Informative Service," which was approved by parliament on 6 August 1998 (AHC 1998, 25; NHC 1998, 8; Albania 11 Aug. 1998). The law was criticized by the pro-DP daily Albania as containing "serious flaws that may encroach upon human rights and freedoms" (11 Aug. 1998), and by human rights monitoring groups of "fail[ing] to live up to international principles" (NHC 1998, 9), and of containing ambiguous and vague provisions that "could lead to subjective interpretation, arbitrary acts and violations of human rights" (AHC 1998, 25).

For further information on the Albanian secret police, please consult the March 1996 Human Rights Watch report Human Rights in Post-Communist Albania, which contains a chapter on the former Democratic Party (DP) government's use of ShIK against its political opponents; Human Rights Watch World Report 1998, which describes the former DP government's use of the secret police against journalists, opposition politicians and critics of the government; the December 1998 Research Directorate issue paper Albania: Selected Political and Human Rights Issues, which contains information on state protection and proposed legislation to create a new Department of National Security (DSK) to replace ShIK; and the 1998 Norwegian Helsinki Committee report Albania's Second Transition: A Human Rights Perspective on Recent Developments in Albania, which contains information on the law "On the National Informative Service," and a section detailing various problems within the Albanian judicial system. All of these documents are available at Regional Documentation Centres.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Albania [Tirana, in Albanian]. 12 January 1999. "Paper Accuses Secret Service of 'Misinformation' on Terrorism." (BBC Summary 15 Jan. 1999/NEXIS)

_____. 11 January 1998. "Opposition Daily Protests Against 'Mass Layoffs' in Intelligence Service." (BBC Summary 13 Jan. 1998/NEXIS)

Albanian Helsinki Committee (AHC). 1998. Report on the Activities of the Albanian Helsinki Committee (July-September 1998). Tirana: Albanian Helsinki Committee.

ATA news agency [Tirana, in English]. 8 August 1998. "Opposition Condemns New Intelligence Law." (BBC Summary 11 Aug. 1998/NEXIS)

_____. 13 March 1996. "Paper Reports Attack on Journalist By Former State Security Agents." (BBC Summary 14 Mar. 1996/NEXIS)

Human Rights Watch (HRW). 1997. Human Rights Watch World Report 1998. http://www.hrw.org/hrw/worldreport/Helsinki-01.htm [Accessed 26 Oct. 1999]

_____. March 1996. Human Rights in Post-Communist Albania. New York: Human Rights Watch.

Intelligence Newsletter [Paris]. 23 September 1999. "Outgoing KLA Sets Up Spy Operation." (NEXIS)

_____. 9 September 1999. "Western Spy Stampede." (NEXIS)

Koha Jone [Tirana, in Albanian]. 26 October 1995. "Parliamentary Election Campaign: Journalists Demand Independent Media and an End to Intimidation." (BBC Summary 27 Oct. 1995/NEXIS)

Norwegian Helsinki Committee (NHC). 1998. No. 1. Albania's Second Transition: A Human Rights Perspective on Recent Developments in Albania. http://www.nhc.no/internasjonal/albania/albaniarapport.htm [Accessed 18 Jan. 1999]

Rilindja Demokratike [Tirana, in Albanian]. 25 October 1998. "Kontakt Radio Says It Is Target of State Violence." (BBC Summary 6 Nov. 1998/NEXIS)

Transitions. 18 February 1997. Vol. 2, No. 7. Fabian Schmidt. "Is There a Link Between the Albanian Government and Organized Crime?" http://www.transitions-online.org/ [Accessed 26 Oct. 1999]

_____. n.d. Fabian Schmidt. "Sleaze Spreads in Pauperized Albania." http://www.transitions-online.org/ [Accessed 26 Oct. 1999]

The United Press International (UPI). 30 August 1996. Lulzim Cota. "Council of Europe Views Albanian Vote." (NEXIS)

The Washington Post. 4 August 1997. Final Edition. Edward Cody. "Months of Anarchy in Albania Yield Financial Ruin, Public Fear; Lawlessness and Tattered Institutions Impede Return to Normality." (NEXIS)

Albanian Helsinki Committee (AHC) reports. 1998, 1999.

Electronic sources: IRB databases; LEXIS/NEXIS; WNC; Internet sites, including:

Amnesty International.

Human Rights Watch.

Transitions.

UK Home Office (country assessments).

A 4 June 1999 letter sent to the Research Directorate by the executive director of the Albanian Human Rights Group (AHRG) in Tirana [The AHRG was founded in 1996 as a nonprofit, nonsectarian, nongovernmental organization, works for the protection of human rights, engages in human rights education, promotes freedom of expression, and is funded by various donors within and outside of Albania], states:

Yes, the Albanian authorities issue military booklets for persons performing their compulsory military service.

b. These booklets are kept by the authorities for the duration of the service and given to the persons upon completion.

c. The persons are not issued with any identity document during their period of performing compulsory military service.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Albanian Human Rights Group (AHRG), Tirana. 4 June 1999. Letter sent to the Research Directorate by the executive director.

According to the Europa World Year Book 1992, the magazine entitled Ushtimi i Maleve (Rumble of the Mountains) was published twice a week up to the year 1992 in the city of Peshkopi, in Albania (1992, 316). The magazine is not listed in the Europa World Year Book for subsequent years.

Further information on Ushtimi i Maleve, including a copy of the magazine, could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Europa World Year Book 1992. 1992. Vol. 1. London: Europa Publications.

Electronic sources : LEXIS/NEXIS, Internet, WNC.

Europa World Year Book 1998. 1998. Vol. 1. London: Europa Publications.

Europa World Year Book 1997. 1997. Vol. 1. London: Europa Publications.

Europa World Year Book 1996. 1996. Vol. 1. London: Europa Publications.

Europa World Year Book 1995. 1995. Vol. 1. London: Europa Publications.

Europa World Year Book 1994. 1994. Vol. 1. London: Europa Publications.

Europa World Year Book 1993. 1993. Vol. 1. London: Europa Publications.

World News Media: A Comprehensive Reference Guide. 1991.

World Newspapers Website.

3000 Newspapers on the Net. Internet.