The main objective of the visit was to examine the situation of male and female forensic psychiatric patients in the country.

In the visit report, the CPT acknowledged the measures taken by the Albanian authorities to temporarily transfer all male forensic psychiatric patients from Zaharia Special Institution for Ill Inmates in Kruja to Lezha Prison. At the same time, given the structural deficiencies observed both at Lezha Prison and the Prison Hospital, the Committee stressed the urgent need to find a permanent solution for the accommodation and treatment of male and female forensic psychiatric patients by creating a specialised forensic psychiatric facility (as is required by the relevant mental health legislation).

In their response, the Albanian authorities set out the measures taken and envisaged to implement the recommendations made by the Committee in the report.

The response has been made public under an automatic publication procedure introduced by the Albanian authorities.

• Read the response
• Read the report (published on 26 April 2022)
• The CPT and Albania