The Court of Tirana has ruled that the police officer who shot and killed 25-year-old Klodian Rasha will await trial in jail.
Officer N.H. stands accused of homicide committed in excess of the necessary self-defense limits.
During a hearing today, he publicly apologized to Rasha’s family, claiming he did not intend to kill the young man, but feared for his own life.
Klodian Rasha was shot and killed by the special unit “Shqiponja” officer during the early hours of December 8 in Tirana.
His death was followed by two days of protests in Tirana and other cities as the details of Rasha’s murder remain unclarified.
On December 10, Minister of Interior Sandër Lleshaj resigned as a result of the killing.
While protesters have also called for the head of the State Police Ardi Veliu to turn in his resignation, as well, Prime Minister Edi Rama took to Twitter today to rebuff these demands. “The State Police will not be held hostage, nor waver, because of the old politics of violence, and the violators it incites,” said Rama.
