Human Rights Day is observed globally on December 10, the same day that 70 years ago, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. As countries around the world celebrate the anniversary of the adoption of the milestone document, the present climate in Albania suggests there is significant work to be done.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaims a number of inalienable rights to which everyone, without exception, is inherently entitled to as a human being. These rights are afforded regardless of race, color, religion, sex, language, political persuasion, social origin, property, birth, or any other status. Drafted by representatives of diverse legal and cultural backgrounds from all regions of the world, the Declaration sets out a list of universal values and a common standard of achievement for individuals from all nations.
On a day when the government of Albania should be doing their best to promote human rights, Prime Minister Edi Rama made a threat to students who are protesting for better conditions in the countries state universities. In a Facebook video this morning, Rama stated:
For me, it is the easiest thing to make a political maneuver to shut down the protest.
A threat that is a direct contravention of Article 20 of the Declaration that states:
(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
This comes after demands from the Prosecution to arrest six citizens for protesting in front of parliament in defense of their property as well as the arrest of 11 Astir residents who were protesting against the government cutting their power off, leaving hundreds of families in the cold and dark. Over the last five years, the Rama administration has directly infringed the rights of many more citizens including foreign nationals, pregnant women, and a number of civil society activists that were exercising their right to protest.
Other contraventions include the heavily biased mainstream media that fail to cover civil society acts or deliberately publish fake news or incomplete stories in favour of the Government and to the detriment of members of the public. Attention must also be drawn to the carefully curated English language media that is drip fed to Embassies and international agencies that only tells a very one-sided version of events, again, in favour of morally dubious, and often illegal government decisions. These are just some of the Articles that are feared to be under threat from the current administration.
Article 1.
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Article 2.
Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinions, national or social origin, property, birth or another status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.
Article 3.
Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security of person.
Article 7.
All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.
Article 9.
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
Article 10.
Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.
Article 12.
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honor and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.
Article 17.
(1) Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.
(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.
Article 19.
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Article 20.
(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
Article 21.
(1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.
(2) Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country.
Article 22.
Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.
Article 25.
(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
Article 26.
(1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
(2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
As the rest of the world celebrates Human Rights Day, citizens in Albania struggle with lack of access higher education, eradication of students rights, the forced eviction of thousands of residents to make way for a project that is shrouded in corruption, and of course, threats against those that take to the streets to fight for their rights.
