Ethnic Greek elected mayor of Himare, Freddy Beleris, spoke of a "show trial" while he was found guilty by Albanian justice of attempting to buy votes and sentenced to two years in prison.
HDN Newsroom
Freddie Beleris, who has been imprisoned for months, called for judicial authorities to "say no to sick nationalism" in his plea.
Freddie Beleris denounces in particular:
"It was a show trial. With a false criminal record, no evidence, no witnesses other than one who was paid by the police, with an 'appointed' judge, in a glass cage without communication with my lawyer, today the Albanian court sentenced me to two years in prison. My crime is that we Himarrheans want to be masters of our ancestral land. My crime is that my fellow Himarreans elected me mayor against the plans of Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama. European Union and the United States, is this the Justice you want for us? I leave the judges to the ridicule of the Albanian people. I will continue my fight for Justice and Democracy in the name of my fellow citizens. Sooner or later, I will find justice. I have as much patience as it takes to get to the end of this case."
Appeal against the decision
The Albanian judiciary sentenced the elected Mayor of Himara to two years in prison. His sentence dates back to his arrest last May, two days before local elections, when he was arrested on charges of vote-buying.
The decision is at first instance and as it has already been known, the lawyers of the elected mayor of Himara will appeal the decision. Beleri's legal team has 15 days to appeal.
"In every sitting I have seen here, from the cage, a trial that could take place once upon a time, but not in a European state in 2024, when justice is considered to be consolidated after at least 30 years, where officially we are not in a dictatorship, when justice should have the courage to deliver justice." Freddie Beleris said among other things.
Elsewhere in his apology, he said: "Also, the prosecution's request for 2 years and 6 months in prison has no legal logic. This sentence has not been requested for any defendant on the same charge. All decisions of the Special Court on this charge are one year suspended. Two mayors on the same charge are not only not in prison like I am, but remain in office, exercising their duties.
Freddy Beleris stressed that his imprisonment is intended to hold new elections in Himara and not to deliver justice.
"The prosecution's request has no intention of delivering justice. Its only purpose is to sentence me to prison for as long as it takes the Prime Minister to "hold" new elections in Himara. I want to assure them that even in this goal they will fail because no matter how many times there are elections in Himara, the result will be the same. The deaf heard and the blind saw, the citizens of Himara cannot be fooled as historically no one has been able to fool him."
Residents in Himare are angry about a rigged and preconceived decision that was not based on any evidence.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs made an announcement about the conviction of an Albanian court against the elected mayor of Himara.
In detail, the announcement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
"Today's conviction by an Albanian court against the elected mayor of Himare, Freddy Beleri, increases concerns about the objectivity of the process.
This is because the presumption of innocence has been shaken by external statements and actions in favour of the conviction and since the final sentence is manifestly disproportionate to the extent of the alleged offence. The sentencing, so that he is not released, prevents the elected mayor from assuming his duties, even today, and keeps the defeated candidate in the mayoralty, despite the express court decision months ago that imposed his immediate removal.
The selective application of judicial decisions and the anticipation of judicial judgments is not in line with the principles of the rule of law. The Greek government will closely monitor the case and looks forward to a fair and objective judgment at second instance."
