Source description last updated: 28 August 2020

In brief: The Albanian Helsinki Committee (AHC) is a human rights organisation based in Tirana that works towards the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in Albania, and makes recommendations for the improvement of legislation and law enforcement.

Coverage on ecoi.net:

Annual reports and other reports

Covered quarterly on ecoi.net, for Albania.

Mission/Mandate/Objectives:

“AHC’s mission is to contribute to respect for human rights, strengthening the rule of law, and the conduct of free and fair elections, in accordance with the Constitution and international acts applicable to the Republic of Albania.”

AHC’s vision is to “ achieve a phase of development of the Albanian society whereby citizens, in spite of their peculiarities or differences, freely and equally exercise their fundamental rights and freedoms, in keeping with constitutional and international standards, in all aspects of life.”

AHC’s mandate includes the following activities:

“Inform and sensitize Albanian citizens and all other actors about their rights and freedoms […]

Monitor, advocate for and protect, in a proactive manner, together with other civil society actors, national and international organizations, respect for fundamental human rights and freedoms in Albania and beyond […]

Prepare alternative reports for the implementation of human rights in Albania […]

Provide free legal services, in the context of strategic litigation, to assist victims whose human rights have been violated”

During the period 2020–2022, AHC states that it will work towards achieving, amongst others, “[c]oncrete improvements” in the implementation of “[non-]discrimination, of the right to life, the right to family life, the right to due legal process, the right to vote, and the right to live free of torture and inhuman treatment, especially for categories in need, juveniles, LGBT persons and women” (AHC website: Our Mission, undated)

Funding:

AHC’s donors have included Civil Rights Defenders, the EU Delegation in Albania, the Council of Europe, the Open Society Institute (Budapest), the Open Society Foundation Albania (OSFA), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), and the Embassies of the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United States in Tirana (AHC website: Partners, Network And Donors, undated)

Scope of reporting:

Geographic focus: Albania

Thematic focus: good governance, human rights of vulnerable groups (including persons deprived of their liberty in the police and prison facilities, minorities, LGBT persons, women, children, persons with disabilities, asylum seekers and irregular migrants), free and fair elections, judiciary and justice reform

Methodology:

AHC reports may be based on monitoring missions undertaken over several months, e.g. in police directories and commissariats, where people are being deprived of their liberty (see, for example, AHC: Monitoring report on the situation of respect for the rights and freedoms of individuals accompanied, detained and arrested in police commissariats, February 2019, p. 3). Reports may also draw on surveys, in-depth (semi-structured) interviews with key informants, reviews of legislation and existing literature (see, for example, AHC: Research Study Report: Promoting religious harmony, tolerance and religious freedom in Albania, 2019, pp. 6–9) and the evaluation of statistical data provided by the authorities. (AHC: Vetting under the Observation of the Albanian Helsinki Committee; Findings and Statistical Data, September 2017 - April 2018, 30 April 2018, pp. 11–16)

Languages of publication:

English and Albanian

 

All links accessed 28 August 2020.