The chief of the Albanian State Police Ardi Veliu used a live Security Committee meeting to smear the mother of a 15-year-old boy who was violated by the police a few weeks ago.
On May 15, in Tirana’s Lake Park, four police officers beat a 15-year-old boy up for violating government mandated quarantine hours. The police claimed that the officer responsible was suspended and is being investigated.
When asked about the violence exerted by the police against the minor, Veliu showed a private video-recording of the boy’s mother holding an object in the shape of a firearm. “I am showing you this video so that you can judge what kind of family this kid comes from […] Look at this child’s family. I am showing you this video for you to see how this child has been educated,” Veliu said, “I do not want to protect the Police, but let us be realistic.”
The method and words used by Albania’s Chief of Police are reminiscent of those used by the infamous communist regime secret police to publicly discredit the politically persecuted families or families of petty criminals.
People are demanding Veliu’s dismissal on social media.
None of the five MPs in the parliamentary Security Committee who were listening to Veliu is known to have reacted to his speech.
The minor’s mother is an actress, and the recording shown by Veliu seems to have been from the set of a film she had participated in.
