Yesterday, the Dutch Court of The Hague rejected the request to extradite Arben Frroku, who has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of the former Police Chief of Kombinat, Dritan Lamaj in February 2013.
In April 2015 the Serious Crimes Court declared Frroku innocent, but he was later sentenced in appeal to life. That same day he traveled to the Netherlands, where he was later arrested with a false passport.
The Court of The Hague has granted Frroku’s request not to be extradited because his conviction was supposedly politically motivated, and because his life would be at risk upon return.
It is interesting that the Court of The Hague decided against the extradition of Frroku, while only a month ago, another Albanian, Antonio Nazeraj was refused asylum in the Netherlands.
Unlike Frroku, Nazeraj’s main “crime” was being a key witness in the investigation of former Minister Saimir Tahiri’s relations with the Habilaj drag trafficking gang. Like Frroku, Nazeraj faces a politically motivated trial should he return to Albania, while his parents have publicly stated he and his family have been threatened by criminals related to Tahiri.
So in the Netherlands there appear to be at least two ideas about Albania: one in the courts, which determine the risk of politically motivated prosecution and revenge high; and another at the Ministry of Justice, for whom Albania is a “safe” country, and even a key witness in a case against a powerful former minister is well protected by the law. Which one is it?
