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.

GENERAL PROVISIONS
Article 5 Restrictions of the personal freedom
3. Persons convicted to imprisonment are ensured human treatment and moral rehabilitation.

TITLE IX EXECUTION OF DECISIONS
CHAPTER I EXECUTION OF DECISIONS
Article 462 Enforceable decisions
1. The sentence of the court is brought for enforcement immediately after becoming final.
2. The decision of acquittal, exclusion of the tried person from punishment and the one for the dismissal of the case are brought for enforcement immediately after their announcement.
3. The following are final decisions:
a) the first instance court decision when it is not appealed by the parties within the legal time limit, when it is non-appealable or when the appeal is not admitted for the reasons provided for in article 420 of this Code. In cases with co-defendants, the decision shall become final for the defendant who has not filed an appeal, notwithstanding the appeal of other co-defendants, provided that the prosecutor has not filed an appeal. When the prosecutor has not filed an appeal and the case is examined on the basis of the appeal of other co-defendants, the decision shall become final for the defendant who has not filed an appeal in a trial with co-defendants, notwithstanding the appeal filed with by the other co-defendants;
b) the decision of the appeal court, when it finally settles the case, pursuant to letters “a”, “b” and “c” of paragraph 1, of article 428 of this Code;
c) the decision of the High Court in the cases of extradition and transfer of the sentenced persons.
4. The way of execution of the criminal decisions is regulated by special law.

TITLE IX EXECUTION OF DECISIONS
CHAPTER I EXECUTION OF DECISIONS
Article 464 Execution of imprisonment sentences
1. In order to execute an imprisonment decision, the prosecutor issues an order of execution.
2. The order of execution contains the personal data of the convicted person, the dispositive of the decision and the necessary rulings on execution.
3. When the convicted person is under precautionary detention in prison, the order is sent to the state authority that administers the prisons and is notified to the interested person, whereas when the convicted person is not under precautionary detention in prison, his/her imprisonment shall be ordered.
4. It is proceeded in The same way in cases of the enforcement of decisions of compulsory hospitalisation in medical or educational institutions.

TITLE IX EXECUTION OF DECISIONS
CHAPTER I EXECUTION OF DECISIONS
Article 467 Execution of a fine decision
1. Decisions containing a fine penalty are executed by the bailiff’s office.
2. When it is proven the impossibility to execute a fine penalty, in whole or in part, the prosecutor files a request to the court that has issued the decision to make the conversion. Upon request of the convicted person, the court may postpone the conversion up to six months. Such period is not calculated in the prescription time limits.
3. The decision of conversion is subject to appeal, which suspends its execution.

TITLE IX EXECUTION OF DECISIONS
CHAPTER III EXECUTION OF THE CRIMINAL DECISIONS
SECTION I EXECUTION OF FOREIGN CRIMINAL DECISIONS
Article 512 Recognition of foreign criminal decisions
1. The Ministry of Justice, when receiving a criminal decision issued abroad for Albanian or foreign citizens or persons without citizenship, but residing in the Albania or for persons proceeded criminally in the Albania shall send to the prosecutor at the district court of the person’s domicile or residence a copy of the decision and of the relevant documents, along with the translations in Albanian language.
2. The Ministry of Justice requests the recognition of a foreign criminal decision when it deems that pursuant to an international agreement, such decision must be executed or recognised for other effects in the Albania.
3. The prosecutor shall submit a request to the district court for the recognition of the foreign decision. he may request the necessary information from foreign authorities, through the Ministry of Justice.

TITLE IX EXECUTION OF DECISIONS
CHAPTER III EXECUTION OF THE CRIMINAL DECISIONS
SECTION I EXECUTION OF FOREIGN CRIMINAL DECISIONS
Article 516 Determining the sanction
1. When recognising a foreign decision, the court determines the punishment to be served in the Albanian state. It converts the punishment imposed in the foreign decision into one of the punishments provided for the same fact by the Albanian law. This punishment must correspond, by nature, to the one which has been established in the foreign decision. The length of the punishment may not exceed the maximum term provided for the same fact by the Albanian law.
2. When the foreign decision does not specify the length of the punishment, the court establishes it based on the criteria indicated in the Criminal Code. In no case the imposed punishment may be higher than the one imposed by the recognized criminal decision.
3. When the execution of the punishment rendered in a foreign state has been conditionally suspended, the court, with the decision of recognition, in addition to other issues, rules also on the conditional suspension of the punishment. the court does the same when the defendant has been conditionally released in the foreign country.
4. In order to establish a punishment by fine, the amount indicated in the foreign decision shall be converted in equal value into Albanian currency, applying the exchange rate of the day on which the recognition was decided.
5. The decision of recognition regarding the execution of a confiscation shall also order the execution of the confiscation.

TITLE IX EXECUTION OF DECISIONS
CHAPTER III EXECUTION OF THE CRIMINAL DECISIONS
SECTION I EXECUTION OF FOREIGN CRIMINAL DECISIONS
Article 518 Execution of the foreign decision
1. After being recognised, the criminal decisions of foreign courts are enforced in conformity to Albanian law.
2. The prosecutor in the court that has made the recognition of a decision takes the measures for its execution.
3. The imprisonment sentence served in the foreign country is calculated for the effects of the execution.
4. The monetary proceeds of the execution of a fine decision are deposited into the bank of Albania. It may be deposited with the state where the decision was issued, upon its request, whenthat state, under the same circumstances would have decided the deposit in favour of the Albanian state.
5. The confiscated items shall be delivered to the Albanian state. They are delivered, upon its request, to the state where the decision subject to recognition is issued, when the latter, under the same circumstances would have decided the delivery in the Albanian state.

TITLE IX EXECUTION OF DECISIONS
CHAPTER III EXECUTION OF THE CRIMINAL DECISIONS
SECTION II EXECUTION ABROAD OF THE ALBANIAN CRIMINAL DECISIONS
Article 519 Requirements for executing abroad
1. In cases provided by international conventions or by article 501, paragraph 2, the Ministry of justice requests the execution abroad of the criminal decisions or gives the consent when it is requested by a foreign state.
2. The execution abroad of a criminal conviction decision with restriction of the personal freedom may be requested or permitted only if the convicted person has become informed of the consequences, has declared freely that he gives his consent and when the execution in the foreign state is appropriate to his social rehabilitation.
3. The execution abroad is also allowed when there are conditions provided by paragraph 2, if the convicted person is in the territory of the state to whom the request has been addressed and the extradition has been rejected or anyway is not possible.

Article 520 Court decision
1. Before requesting the execution of a decision abroad the Ministry of Justice shall send the acts to the prosecutor, who shall submit a request to the court.
2. the consent of the convicted person should be given before the Albanian court. In case he is abroad the consent may be given before the Albanian consular authority or before the foreign court.

Article 521 Cases when execution of the sentence abroad is not allowed
1. The Minister of Justice cannot request the execution abroad of a criminal decision by restriction of personal freedom when there are grounds to believe that the convicted person shall be subject to persecution or discrimination acts by reason of race, religion, nationality, language or political opinions or inhuman, cruel or degrading punishment and treatment.

Article 522 Request for precautionary detention in prison abroad
1. When it is requested the enforcement of a decision restricting the personal freedom and the convicted person is abroad, the Ministry of Justice shall request his precautionary detention in prison.
2. With the request for the execution of a confiscation the Ministry of Justice has the right to request the sequestration of items which can be confiscated.

Article 523 Suspension of Execution in the Albanian State
1. The execution of the sentence in the Albanian state is suspended once the execution in the foreign state has started.
2. The sentence may no longer be enforced in the Albanian state when, pursuant to the foreign countries laws, it has been entirely served.

CHAPTER IV
RECOGNITION AND EXECUTION OF CRIMINAL DECISIONS

SECTION I
EXECUTION OF FOREIGN CRIMINAL DECISIONS

Article 53
General provisions

1. The Ministry of Justice and the local judicial authorities apply the rules of the Code of Criminal Procedure and of this law for the recognition and execution of foreign criminal decisions.
2. The decision of a foreign court for a sentence of imprisonment may be recognised:
a. at the request of the sentencing state, when the convicted person is an Albanian citizen and has a residence or domicile in Albania; and
b. at the request of an Albanian citizen who is serving a sentence in the sentencing state, for transfer and continuation of serving the sentence in Albania.
3. When a request comes from the sentencing state in a foreign language for the recognition of a foreign criminal decision, the Ministry of Justice may ask the sentencing state for its translation into the Albanian language. If the translation is done by the Ministry of Justice, evidence is taken of the expenses of translation to be included as a part of the procedural expenses.
4. The Ministry of Justice sends the acts within 30 days of their receipt to the prosecutor of the district of the residence or domicile of the person, through the General Prosecutor.
5. The prosecutor submits a request in court within 10 days from receipt of the acts. If the court that has received the acts finds that it is not competent to take a decision, it declares its lack of competence and sends the acts to the competent court, notifying the Ministry of Justice at the same time.

CHAPTER IV
RECOGNITION AND EXECUTION OF CRIMINAL DECISIONS

SECTION I
EXECUTION OF FOREIGN CRIMINAL DECISIONS

Article 54
Requests for recognition and execution of foreign criminal decisions

1. In addition to the conditions provided in article 514 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, a foreign criminal decision is recognised and executed when the following conditions are also met:
a. at the time of submission of the request for recognition in the Ministry of Justice, at least six months of imprisonment have remained for the sentenced person to serve;
b. the execution of the conviction decision has not been prescribed on the basis of the domestic legislation.

CHAPTER IV
RECOGNITION AND EXECUTION OF CRIMINAL DECISIONS

SECTION II
EXECUTION OF ALBANIAN CRIMINAL DECISIONS OUTSIDE THE STATE

Article 62
Conditions of execution

1. In addition to the conditions provided in article 529 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the Ministry of Justice also seeks the recognition and execution of criminal decisions from a foreign state when:
a. a criminal decision given by a local judicial authority cannot be executed within Albanian territory; or
b. the execution of a criminal decision outside the state may serve a better social rehabilitation of the convicted person.
2. In submitting this request, the Ministry of Justice bases itself on the information and documents forwarded from the General Prosecutor.