The now-former police officer, Nevaldo Hajdaraj who was convicted of the murder of Klodian Rasha on December 8 has appealed the 10-year sentence imposed by the Court of the First Instance.
Rasha, a 25-year-old man, was shot from behind as he ran away from the officer after being caught violating lockdown rules. Initially, the police tried to claim he had a weapon and had been engaged in conflict with the police officer, but this was deemed false by the publication of CCTV footage of the scene.
His murder sparked nationwide protests, the resignation of Interior Minister Sander Lleshaj, and calls for sweeping police reform.
The Court previously sentenced him to 15 years in prison, but as the convict agreed to an abbreviated trial, it was reduced to 10 years. In Albania, a life sentence or the maximum that could be imposed for this crime is 20 years. This is what the prosecutors sought in the initial court case.
Hajdaraj has appealed to change the charge from premeditated murder to murder in excess of the need to defend oneself. The Court previously rejected the request of Hajdaraj’s lawyer to change the charge in this way.
