No information on state protection for homosexuals in Albania could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) reports that homosexuality was a criminal offence under Article 137 of the Albanian Penal Code until 20 January 1995 when homosexuality became legalized (IGLHRC Apr. 1995; Media Diversity Institute n.d.; AI 18 May 2001). Prior to decriminalization, people could face up to ten years in prison just for '" being homosexual"' (IGLHRC Apr. 1995; see also Media Diversity Institute n.d.). Article 116 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Albania, enacted on 1 June 1995, states that "[h]omosexual intercourse, when conducted forcefully, with minor people, or with persons unable to protect themselves, is sentenced up to five years of imprisonment" (Albania 1 June 1995).

A report on the Media Diversity Institute Website quotes the president of the Association of Homosexuals of Albania as saying that the '"Albanian population is strongly anti-homosexual"' and '"[p]ublicly declaring yourself as a homosexual means you can't get a decent job, your whole family disavows you"'. According to a 2001 Amnesty International report on Albania, although homosexuality was decriminalized, "homosexuals continue to suffer from public prejudice and discrimination, which has led some to leave the country" (AI 18 May 2001). The report cites an incident that occurred on 7 April 2001 in which Republican Guards attacked the Secretary General of the Gay Albania Society (SGA) in Tirana (ibid.).

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 additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Albania. 1 June 1995. Criminal Code of the Republic of Albania. http://pbosnia.kentlaw.edu/resources/legal/albania/crim_code.htm [Accessed 30 Apr. 2003]
Amnesty International. 18 May 2001. "Albania: Torture and Ill-Treatment - an End to Impunity?" (AI index: EUR 11/001/2001) http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGEUR110012001 [Accessed 30 Apr. 2003]

International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission. April 1995. "Albanian Parliament Legalizes Homosexuality." http://www.iglhrc.org/php/section.php?id=5&detail=378 [Accessed 30 Apr. 2003]

Media Diversity Institute. n.d. Ben Andoni,"Homosexuals in Albania - Outlaws" http://www.media-diversity.org/beta%20articles/Homosexuals%20in%20Abania.htm [Accessed 30 Apr. 2003]

IRB Databases

Attempts to contact the Chair of Society Gay Albania were unsuccessful.

Internet sites, including:

Albanian Human Rights Group

The Balkans Human Rights Web Pages

Council of Europe

Eastgarden

Gazeta Shqiptare

Human Rights Watch

International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHFHR)

Republika

Sodomy Laws of the World

US Department of State

Wockner News

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