Albanian Helsinki Committee

The Albanian Helsinki Committee (AHC; Albanian: Komiteti Shqiptar i Helsinkit, KSHH) is an Albanian non-governmental, non-profit and non-partisan membership organization dedicated to the protection and promotion of human rights and the strengthening of the rule of law in Albania. It was founded on 16 December 1990, in the context of the first wave of movements for Albania's democratic transformation, when a group of public intellectuals established the Albanian Forum for the Protection of Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms, which was later renamed the Albanian Helsinki Committee. From the outset the organization focused on the rights of persons persecuted by the totalitarian regime that ruled Albania in the second half of the twentieth century, and it played a leading role in educating Albanian society about the international human-rights framework. AHC is headquartered in Tirana and operates throughout Albania. It maintains a network of correspondents in Kukës, Gjirokastër, Fier, Vlorë, Korçë, Elbasan and Shkodër, whose purpose is to observe and monitor respect for human rights in various fields in the respective districts. The organization's mission is to contribute to respect for human rights, the strengthening of the rule of law, and the development of free and fair elections, in accordance with the Constitution and applicable international acts in the Republic of Albania. Its mandate includes informing and sensitizing Albanian citizens and other actors about their rights and freedoms; monitoring, advocating and protecting fundamental human rights and freedoms proactively together with other civil-society actors and national and international organizations; preparing alternative reports on the implementation of human rights in Albania; providing legal opposition and expertise for improving legislation and harmonizing it with the EU acquis communautaire; providing free legal services within the framework of strategic litigation to assist victims of human-rights violations; helping strengthen the rule of law through better implementation of legislation in force and capacity-building of public administration; encouraging accountability of public administration through public denunciation of violations; and playing an active role in civil society to encourage citizen participation in matters of public interest. AHC's main areas of work include good governance, the judiciary, vulnerable groups, the Legal Clinic, free and fair elections, and legal education. The Legal Clinic has for more than ten years served to improve respect for rights, and since 1996 the Albanian Helsinki Committee has monitored most parliamentary elections. The organization is governed by a General Assembly of 11 members as its highest decision-making body, and its work is directed by an Executive Director elected by the Assembly members. Erida Skëndaj has served as Executive Director since 2016. On 22 March 1992 AHC became a member of the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights, based in Vienna. Over its history it has been and remains the most prominent organization for the protection and promotion of human rights in Albania, and a key partner for other non-governmental organizations, Albanian public institutions, and international agencies and programmes working to advance respect for human rights in Albania.

The Albanian Helsinki Committee was founded on 16 December 1990, in the context of the first wave of movements for the democratic transformation of Albania. A group of public intellectuals established the Albanian Forum for the Protection of Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms, which was later renamed the Albanian Helsinki Committee (KSHH). From the very beginning it was constituted as a membership organization and as a non-profit, non-governmental and non-partisan entity. The organization initially focused on the rights of persons persecuted by the totalitarian regime that ruled Albania in the second half of the twentieth century, and it played a leading role in educating Albanian society about the international human-rights framework. On 22 March 1992, AHC became a member of the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights, based in Vienna. Over the following quarter-century, AHC has been and remains the most prominent organization for the protection and promotion of human rights in Albania, as well as a key partner for other non-governmental organizations, Albanian public institutions, and international agencies and programmes working to advance respect for human rights in Albania. Headquartered in Tirana, it carries out its activity throughout Albania. A network of correspondents operates in Kukës, Gjirokastër, Fier, Vlorë, Korçë, Elbasan and Shkodër, with the aim of observing and monitoring respect for human rights in various fields in the respective districts. AHC's work has covered good governance, the judiciary, vulnerable groups, the Legal Clinic, free and fair elections, and legal education. The Legal Clinic has for more than ten years served to improve respect for rights. Since 1996, the Albanian Helsinki Committee has monitored most parliamentary elections. The organization is governed by a General Assembly of 11 members (currently 3 women and 8 men) as its highest governing body; the work of AHC is directed by an Executive Director (currently a woman), who is elected by the members of the Assembly. Erida Skëndaj was appointed Executive Director in February 2016 by the General Assembly, with her engagement starting de facto in the beginning of April 2016. She graduated in 2006 as a Jurist and in 2011 with a Master of Science in Criminal Science from the Faculty of Law, University of Tirana; she was licensed as a lawyer in 2008 and joined AHC's executive staff the same year, specializing mainly in criminal law and human rights and providing legal services to vulnerable groups, especially citizens deprived of their liberty, and monitoring criminal justice institutions and elections. In 2014 she was named Lawyer Advisor in the civil service of the Albanian Parliament, engaged in the Committee on Legal Affairs, Public Administration and Human Rights, and in early 2015 she was appointed legal coordinator of the Technical Secretariat of the Judiciary Group attached to the Ad Hoc Parliamentary Committee on Justice System Reform.

• 2016

  Erida Skëndaj appointed Executive Director by the General Assembly; engagement started de facto in April 2016.

• 1996

  Began monitoring most parliamentary elections in Albania.

• 1992

  Became a member of the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights, based in Vienna.

• 1990

  Founded as the Albanian Forum for the Protection of Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms, later renamed the Albanian Helsinki Committee.

Albania's most prominent human-rights NGO and a key partner for civil society, public institutions and international agencies working to advance human rights in Albania.

• Legal Clinic

  For more than 10 years, the Legal Clinic has served to improve respect for rights.

• Election monitoring

  Since 1996, AHC has monitored most parliamentary elections.

• Free legal aid

  Free legal service within the framework of strategic litigation to assist victims of human-rights violations.

• Human-rights monitoring and reporting

  Monitoring, advocating and protecting fundamental human rights and freedoms; preparing alternative reports on the implementation of human rights in Albania.

• Legal education

  Legal education of citizens aims to increase awareness and proper understanding of human rights and freedoms.

1. 1Faqja Kryesore - Komiteti Shqiptar i Helsinkitahc.org.al
2. 2STAFI - Komiteti Shqiptar i Helsinkitahc.org.al
3. 3HISTORIA - Komiteti Shqiptar i Helsinkitahc.org.al
4. 4MISIONI, VIZIONI DHE OBJEKTIVAT - Komiteti Shqiptar i Helsinkitahc.org.al
5. 5Albanian Helsinki Committeewikidata.org