Lawyer Plarent Ndreca has complained for the second time that he was not allowed to meet with his client, Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj, who is in custody at Fier prison. According to Ndreca, the institution's authorities denied him entry with the argument that there was not enough staff and that meetings were not allowed outside of official hours.
The lawyer disputes this reasoning and says that the law guarantees defense attorneys the right to meet with their clients at any time. He referred to Article 51 of the law on the rights and treatment of detainees. Ndreca said that he argued for about 20-30 minutes with prison employees, but was unable to hold a meeting with Veliaj.
After the incident, he announced a criminal complaint to the Fier Prosecutor's Office for abuse of office against responsible persons in the institution's chain of command.
"It is very clearly defined that the lawyer, like the prosecutor and the judge, enters at any time to meet with his client," declared Ndreca.
