Human Rights NGO Criticizes Albanian Trial of 5 Ethnic Greeks for Espionage

In September 1994, the Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights released a report (hereinafter "Trial Observation Report" or "TOR"), criticizing the trial during August 15-24, 1994 and thereafter the conviction on September 7, 1994 of five ethnic Greeks (Vangjel Papakristo, Panajot Marto, Theodhori Bezhani, Kosta Qirjako, and Irakli Sirmo) by an Albanian court. The report indicates the powerful role that international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can play in protecting international human rights in domestic criminal trials. The report also indicates some of the difficulties faced by emerging democracies trying to reconstruct their criminal justice systems. The international attention devoted to the trial also indicates the concern by many governments and NGOs with the need to integrate the protection of human rights in criminal justice...(more)