Prominent Albanian lawyer Saimir Vishaj has died at the age of 60, following several days of hospitalization at the Trauma Hospital in Tirana.

Vishaj had been admitted to hospital on Sunday after falling down the stairs at his home. His health deteriorated significantly on Monday, and doctors placed him on a ventilator.

Despite the medical team's efforts, he could not recover. This was the second time Vishaj had faced a life-threatening medical crisis.

In August 2025, the lawyer had publicly revealed that he had battled a serious illness, which had left him in a coma and on a ventilator for a period of time.

Vishaj was a well-known figure in Albania's legal community, with a career that began in 1998. Since 2009, he had served as head of the Association of Criminal Lawyers of Albania.

Throughout his career, he also held several prominent positions within the country's legal institutions, including membership in the National General Council of the National Chamber of Advocacy, the Disciplinary Committee, and the Monitoring Commission for Justice Reform.

His death marks the passing of a prominent figure in Albania's criminal defense community, following more than two decades of professional involvement in the country's legal system.