Former Albanian Health Minister Ilir Beqaj has been released from prison after the Special Court Against Corruption and Organized Crime (GJKKO) ordered a reduction of his security measure, replacing pretrial detention with house arrest.

Beqaj, who is under investigation in connection with the SASPAC case, will continue to face criminal proceedings while remaining under house arrest.

The court's decision comes a day after GJKKO also eased the security measure imposed on Ermal Kurtulaj, changing his status as part of the same investigation.

According to the court, the change in the security measures is linked to the expiration of the maximum legal time limits for pretrial detention.

Beqaj was arrested in July 2024 following an order issued by Albania's Special Anti-Corruption Structure (SPAK) and had remained in pretrial detention ever since. During that period, both GJKKO and the Special Court of Appeal repeatedly rejected his requests to replace the detention measure.

The former minister spent approximately two years in pretrial detention before the court ordered his transfer to house arrest.