The Special Court today rejected the request of the elected mayor of Chimara Fredis Beleris to change the measure of preventive detention. This is the 12th consecutive request for a lighter security measure to the Albanian authorities that has been rejected.

During the hearing, Beleris argued that there are no grounds for keeping him in prison, since there is no risk of tampering with the evidence now that the investigations have been completed.

Earlier, the court rejected the request filed on January 24 by the lawyers for replacement of the judge because he had been involved in the case in the past with decisions against the mayor of Himara.

The week we passed had a strong judicial interest in the case of Fredis Beleris, who remains in prison for more than 8 months.

The trials for the swearing-in license and for the change of the measure of pre-trial detention were set for January 24, which were postponed after the lawyers’ request for a replacement of the judge.

On January 25, the trial for the main case continued and the employees of the Avlona prosecutor’s office testified, arguing that the prescribed procedures had been followed to the letter, while on the other hand, to the crucial questions of the lawyers, they answered that they did not remember. The next one is already set for Thursday, February 1st.

Earlier, on January 29, the appeal hearing on the request for special leave will be held so that he can be sworn in as mayor of Himara. For this specific decision, at first instance, the Albanian authorities ruled negatively.

The lawyers described as scandalous the decision to be reviewed by only one judge when the first instance decision was reviewed by three.