Albania is facing growing international criticism over its extensive and prolonged use of pretrial detention, with figures far exceeding the European Union average and raising serious concerns about human rights and the rule of law, the Council of Europe has warned.

In an interview with the Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), Gianluca Esposito, Director General of Human Rights and Rule of Law at the Council of Europe, said the situation gives “real cause for concern,” citing findings from the latest report of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT).

According to official data, as of November 2025 Albania’s prison population stood at 4,578 inmates, with 58% held in pretrial detention. Esposito said Albania’s pretrial detention rate of 94.6 detainees per 100,000 inhabitants is nearly four to five times higher than the EU average.

The CPT report found that Albania remains among the countries with the highest incarceration rates within the Council of Europe, with increased reliance on pretrial detention contributing to overcrowding in several detention facilities.

Esposito also highlighted the length of pretrial detention as a major concern, noting that the average duration is 253 days, or about 8.4 months. He said the European Court of Human Rights has identified excessive pretrial detention and insufficient judicial reasoning in several rulings against Albania, including the cases of Hysa, Strazimiri and Delijorgji.

He warned that prolonged pretrial detention directly affects individual liberty and undermines the fundamental principle of the presumption of innocence.

Esposito said reducing overcrowding should not rely solely on building new prisons, but on limiting the use and duration of pretrial detention and expanding alternative measures. While Albania’s legal framework largely aligns with international standards, he said the main problem lies in the “excessive and insufficiently reasoned” use of pretrial detention, particularly at first-instance courts and during periodic reviews.

Judicial practice and legal culture, Esposito added, are decisive factors, stressing that legislative changes alone would not be sufficient. He said the Council of Europe is supporting Albania through a cooperation project aimed at translating European standards into concrete improvements in legislation and judicial practice.

Esposito expressed confidence that Albanian authorities would take further steps to address the issue, noting that the country can draw on best practices from other European states where pretrial detention is used sparingly, subject to individualized reasoning, regular judicial review and broad use of alternatives, with special safeguards for vulnerable individuals.