Protesters accuse police of "intimidation tactics" with mass prosecutions

On Wednesday evening, as the protesters’ nightly march was coming to an end, a 19-year-old student decided to stop for a few minutes on one of the benches near Skanderbeg Square. Accompanied by her two cousins, the law student saw two men aged 50-60, who initially took her pictures and then asked her for identification.

The student, a regular protester since May 31, says she was initially outraged and refused the request.

“They were civilians and unidentified,” she says on condition of anonymity, as she fears for her parents, who both work in the state administration. “We survive on that income,” she explains.

One of the men introduced himself as a civilian officer and produced a blue card, which was indistinguishable in the dark. When the request to provide identification was again refused, the man without uniform called a police van and the three girls found themselves at Police Station No. 3 in Tirana.

"In the van were us, the two civilians and four police officers," the student told BIRN in a phone conversation, adding that the incident occurred at around 11:30 p.m.

The girls stayed at the police station for about 5 hours, until the so-called verification procedure was completed. Initially, they were left in the same cell, but because they turned the socializing into a laughing frenzy, the officers separated them into three different cells. During this time, she says, the police officers provoked them by mocking them with protest chants and repeating: “Rama, resign.”

“When it was my turn to give a statement, the questions were about the protest, even though they told us we weren’t being detained because of it,” says the 19-year-old. According to her, the officers asked them who was organizing the protest, who was paying for the banners, and what the reasons were for protesting.

This student's case is not isolated. In recent days, dozens of protesters have faced surprise criminal proceedings, without prior questioning, and personal data has been leaked to the media, before they even knew they were being prosecuted. Others have been taken to police stations with claims of verification. As of Saturday, June 20, police have announced the prosecution of 85 people, some of whom, among those known as organizers, have been prosecuted more than once.

Activists, lawyers, and protesters themselves see this approach by the State Police as a genuine pressure campaign, aimed at suppressing participation and intimidating citizens. However, evidence shows that this tactic is having the opposite effect.

Activist Luçiana Koka, prosecuted three times for the protests in Rrjoll and twice more for those in Tirana, says ironically that this does not scare the protesters.

“Por nuk besoj që ka përshkallëzim, kjo është një nga protestat më të bukura në botë kundër një sistemi mafioz dhe diktatorial,” tha ajo për BIRN.

Drejtoria e Policisë së Tiranës nuk iu përgjigj pyetjeve të BIRN deri në publikimin e këtij shkrimi.

“Akuza në ajër”

Lëvizja e pagëzuar si “Revolucioni i Flamingove” ka mbushur rrugët e kryeqytetit prej javësh. Protesta maratonë mori shkëndijë pas një përplasjeje të regjistruar më 30 maj në Zvërnec, ku rojet private të sigurisë tërhoqën zvarrë një protestues para hundës së forcave të policisë, të cilat qëndruan pasive.

E nisur fillimisht si një lëvizje kundër planeve për ndërtimin e një kompleksi rezidencial turistik në zonën e mbrojtur Pishë Poro – Nartë, e lidhur me familjarët e presidentit amerikan, Donald Trump, protesta u transformua shpejt në një lëvizje kundër estabilishmentit politik. Tashmë, kauza mjedisore është shkrirë me kërkesa më të gjera politike dhe qytetare, ku protestuesit kërkojnë dorëheqjen e kryeministrit Edi Rama dhe ndërrimin e kastës së vjetër të politikës, përfshi liderin e opozitës zyrtare Sali Berisha, dhe anulimin e një sërë ligjesh.

Protestat masive, me pjesëmarrje të dhjetëra mijëra qytetarëve, kanë qenë paqësore dhe njëkohësisht një spektakël qytetarie. Për dy javë me radhë, edhe forcat e rendit kanë qenë pothuajse të padukshme në këtë protestë, me përjashtim të një kordoni para shkallëve të kryeministrisë, që ‘çahet’ herë pas here nga fëmijë 4-5 vjeç që luajnë.

Situata ndryshoi pasi një grup protestuesish marshoi drejt aeroportit “Nënë Tereza” më 14 qershor, ndërsa policia u kundërpërgjigj prej asaj dite me procedime për bllokime rrugësh.

Studenti Emir Leçini u habit kur mësoi që po procedohej dhe u habit edhe më shumë kur u thirr në polici dhe dëgjoi për çfarë akuzohej.

“Akuza është në ajër. Nuk na është thënë që jemi në tubim të paligjshëm. S’kemi bërë asgjë ndryshe nga 50 mijë të tjerë,” tha Leçini përmes një bisede telefonike.

Policia pretendon se po i evidenton shkelësit përmes kamerave të sigurisë dhe rrjeteve sociale, por Leçini thotë se situata nuk ishte shumë serioze kur u përball me të. Kur ai dhe shokët e tij pyetën se pse ishin zgjedhur ata mes 50 mijë vetëve, punonjësi i policisë ishte përgjigjur se do thërrisnin këdo që do identifikonin

“Juve ju pamë, juve ju thirrëm,” citon ai përgjigjen.

Arben Kola, aktivist veteran dhe guidë turistike është proceduar për shkak se bashkë me të tjerë, ka marrë përsipër procedurën e njoftimit të policisë.

“Është pjesë e shantazhit. Nuk është hera e parë,” tha Kola, që i tregoi BIRN se pas procedimit atyre u është thënë se do mbanin përgjegjësi nëse diçka ndodhte në protestë, nëse dëmtohej ndonjë makinë apo kishte probleme të tjera.

Avokati Gentjan Serjani, i cili po asiston disa prej të rinjve të proceduar, ngre alarmin për një sërë shkeljesh procedurale dhe të të drejtave të njeriut.

"The first is the way they were called, without explaining why they were called and what their status was," explains Serjani. "While the announcement to the media was made a day before, the protesters were called a day later to identify themselves. To release the name without identifying whether it is this or not is unacceptable," he says.

The effect of the protests

Lëvizja Bashke MP Redi Muçi told BIRN that beyond the proceedings, various citizens had complained about unreasonable police escorts.

"We consider it a pressure mechanism to intimidate, threaten people who participate in the protest, because there is no reason," said Muçi.

A similar stance was held by the MP of the Opportunity Party, Erald Kapri, who also asked the police to stop the mass proceedings.

"Protest is a constitutional right," said Kapri in a public post in front of the offices of Police Station No. 1 in Tirana, where, according to him, he was not given information about the proceedings.

Interviewed by BIRN, the people who were prosecuted by the police denied being afraid, although they all said the aim was to stop them from protesting.

Emir Leçini says that this form of pressure will have a boomerang effect.

"A bubble outside of all sense," he says, adding as a challenge: "Once I take the final exam, I'll stay even longer."

For activist Luçiana Koka, the intimidation tactics are clear, but she does not see how they can succeed. Arben Kola also said that the effects on the protest would be the opposite of what was expected. He said that more young people will come out to protest after the massive police crackdown and denied that there was anyone scared.

Even the 19-year-old escorted to the police station has no intention of stopping after being escorted to the police station, which she calls a message.

"When we left at 4:30 in the morning, the officer there told us, which was a message to me: 'Good night and don't be on the streets.' I replied ironically: 'See you at 7,'" she said, adding that no one had the right to stop them from protesting. /BIRN