Enforcement of sentences imposed

Republic of Albania

Albania - Criminal Code 1995 (2013) EN

1 General Part

Chapter 1- Criminal Law and its Application

Article 10 Validity of criminal sentences of foreign courts

Unless otherwise provided for by bilateral or multilateral treaties, the criminal sentences of foreign courts on Albanian citizens who plead guilty of committing a criminal act are valid in Albania within the limits of the Albanian law, also on the following merits:

a) for the effect of qualifying as recidivist the person who has committed the criminal act;

b) to execute sentences comprising additional punishment;

c) for implementing security measures;

d) for compensation of damages or other civil law effects.

1 General Part

CHAPTER V- PUNISHMENTS/SENTENCES

Article 33- The manner of serving life imprisonment and [ordinary] imprisonment

Life imprisonment and [ordinary] imprisonment are served at special institutions set up specifically for this purpose.

The rules concerning the manner of serving the imprisonment sentence, the prisoner’s rights and duties are defined by law.

Juveniles serve imprisonment sentences in institutions separated from those of the adults.

Women serve imprisonment sentences in institutions separated from those of men.

1 General Part

CHAPTER V- PUNISHMENTS/SENTENCES

Article 34- Punishment by fines

Fines consist of paying to the state an amount of money within the range provided for by law.

Fines are imposed upon persons who commit an offence or a criminal contravention.

For persons who have committed a crime, the fine ranges from 100 thousand to 10 million lekë.

For persons who commit a criminal contravention, the fine ranges from 50 thousand to 5 million lekë.

For persons who commit crimes with motives of profit of property or gain of any other material profit, if the criminal provision provides only punishment by imprisonment, the court can decide on punishment from 100 thousand to 5 million lekë.

The fine must be paid within the deadline fixed by the court.

The court, while considering the economic status of the defendant, may allow him to pay his fine by installments, fixing their amount and the terms of the payment.

When the fine is not paid in due time, the court decides on replacing the fine with imprisonment, calculating 5 thousand leks per one day of imprisonment.

When the fine is imposed for an offence committed, its replacement with imprisonment cannot exceed three years, whereas when it is imposed for a criminal contravention, the replacement cannot exceed one year of imprisonment, but always without exceeding the maximum of imprisonment provided for by the relevant disposition.

When the person convicted as above pays off his fine during the imprisonment term, the court revokes its sentence, making calculations according paragraph 7 of this Article.

Rome Statute

Article 103 Role of States in enforcement of sentences of imprisonment

1.

(a) A sentence of imprisonment shall be served in a State designated by the Court from a list of States which have indicated to the Court their willingness to accept sentenced persons.

(b) At the time of declaring its willingness to accept sentenced persons, a State may attach conditions to its acceptance as agreed by the Court and in accordance with this Part.

(c) A State designated in a particular case shall promptly inform the Court whether it accepts the Court's designation.

2.

(a) The State of enforcement shall notify the Court of any circumstances, including the exercise of any conditions agreed under paragraph 1, which could materially affect the terms or extent of the imprisonment. The Court shall be given at least 45 days' notice of any such known or foreseeable circumstances. During this period, the State of enforcement shall take no action that might prejudice its obligations under article 110.

(b) Where the Court cannot agree to the circumstances referred to in subparagraph (a), it shall notify the State of enforcement and proceed in accordance with article 104, paragraph 1.

3. In exercising its discretion to make a designation under paragraph 1, the Court shall take into account the following:

(a) The principle that States Parties should share the responsibility for enforcing sentences of imprisonment, in accordance with principles of equitable distribution, as provided in the Rules of Procedure and Evidence;

(b) The application of widely accepted international treaty standards governing the treatment of prisoners;

(c) The views of the sentenced person;

(d) The nationality of the sentenced person;

(e) Such other factors regarding the circumstances of the crime or the person sentenced, or the effective enforcement of the sentence, as may be appropriate in designating the State of enforcement.

4. If no State is designated under paragraph 1, the sentence of imprisonment shall be served in a prison facility made available by the host State, in accordance with the conditions set out in the headquarters agreement referred to in article 3, paragraph 2. In such a case, the costs arising out of the enforcement of a sentence of imprisonment shall be borne by the Court.

Article 104 Change in designation of State of enforcement

1. The Court may, at any time, decide to transfer a sentenced person to a prison of another State.

2. A sentenced person may, at any time, apply to the Court to be transferred from the State of enforcement.

Article 105 Enforcement of the sentence

1. Subject to conditions which a State may have specified in accordance with article 103, paragraph 1 (b), the sentence of imprisonment shall be binding on the States Parties, which shall in no case modify it.

2. The Court alone shall have the right to decide any application for appeal and revision. The State of enforcement shall not impede the making of any such application by a sentenced person.

Article 106 Supervision of enforcement of sentences and conditions of imprisonment

1. The enforcement of a sentence of imprisonment shall be subject to the supervision of the Court and shall be consistent with widely accepted international treaty standards governing treatment of prisoners.

2. The conditions of imprisonment shall be governed by the law of the State of enforcement and shall be consistent with widely accepted international treaty standards governing treatment of prisoners; in no case shall such conditions be more or less favourable than those available to prisoners convicted of similar offences in the State of enforcement.

3. Communications between a sentenced person and the Court shall be unimpeded and confidential.

Article 109 Enforcement of fines and forfeiture measures

1. States Parties shall give effect to fines or forfeitures ordered by the Court under Part 7, without prejudice to the rights of bona fide third parties, and in accordance with the procedure of their national law.

2. If a State Party is unable to give effect to an order for forfeiture, it shall take measures to recover the value of the proceeds, property or assets ordered by the Court to be forfeited, without prejudice to the rights of bona fide third parties.

3. Property, or the proceeds of the sale of real property or, where appropriate, the sale of other property, which is obtained by a State Party as a result of its enforcement of a judgement of the Court shall be transferred to the Court.