Report from: Katrin Bornmüller

Blood Revenge in Albania

The blood revenge is a form of revenge that gives a picture of the lawless conditions in the mountains in the north of the country and a medieval judicial code that sets family clans against each other in killing cycles without end. Disputes known as blood feuds can drag on for generations, becoming the problem of the descendants , who have nothing to do with the original offense or murder.For children, the blood feud means that they cannot leave their homes,even go to school. They also do not get medical care in hospitals, nor can they play outside.

The rules of blood revenge are recorded in the 15th century in a book called KANUN. The Kanun helped to bring order to the life of the tribes in Northern Albania, especially since its introduction in the Ottoman Empire.The Kanun is often abused by those involved in blood revenge. If they followed the rules of the Kanun, children and women would not be killed.But nowadays neither the laws of the Kanun nor the state are followed. It happened that women and children were killed because the state does not apply the law properly.The children grow up in blood revenge conditions and especially the boys who are the target of blood revenge follow the old patterns.The boys are brought up with the responsibility of revenge. Niko 13 years old, is acted as a blood victim, that is, he is under blood revenge threat for so-called crimes ,committed before his birth. None of the parents live at home, he was left with the grandparents near the families involved in the blood revenge. He lives in constant danger.

Marsela, 9 years old, lives hidden in Skodra’s suburbs. She cannot leave the house, she is in danger of being shot down. In 1995, long before she was born, her father shot a friend in a drunken rage, as a result there were 5 deaths as revenge..The 40 year old mother is taking no chances that one of her 4 children between 7 and 19 will be the next victim. More than 10 times Marsela has left the house for her life. She does not even have shoes – a pointless luxury- as she can be in the house with knitted slippers.

An elderly mother of two sons, who are sentenced to life imprisonment for blood revenge lives alone in a village in the mountainous area of Puka. She lives in extreme poverty on less than 100 € per month, separated only by a fence from her family, with whom she lives in blood feud, and according to the Kanun, she is only allowed out at a certain time, otherwise she may be killed.

On 25.01.2022 there was a blood revenge murder in Lezhe…. A 17 year old killed a 65 year old whose brother killed his father in 2009. At the time, the boy was only four years old. This act of blood revenge , which occupied the boy his whole life, was “wrongly” judged by the judiciary, the boy was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. After 7 years

The unjust sentences started new blood revenge cases, they influenced the mentality of the teenager, who now reopened the blood revenge. Many blood revenge cases happen in remote areas ,where people do not seek help from the law, but they also happen in cities like Tirana. Although they have a long history, blood revenge remains the order of the day today. Thousands of families live in self-imposed house arrest in fear for their lives in northern Albania. Children live like abandoned, trapped in Albania’s bloody “vendettas” maw.

What can be done?

Sustainable projects are needed. The blood revenge is a deeply rooted phenomenon, but it is possible to eradicate it.The children who have a higher educational background should teach their siblings and cousins in “home schooling” programs as long as the phenomenon exists.

The aim of the project is to

1. prepare for reconciliation for future generations.
2. Access to schooling

Those affected are children between 6-18 who live with blood vengeance.

The International Society for Human Rights – IGFM-Wittlich – with its honorary chairwoman Katrin Bornmüller, together with the chairwoman of the IGFM section Albania, Professor Dr. Margarita Kola, is very committed to using the means of “reconciliation” to bring the affected families to the table so that the phenomenon of blood revenge can be permanently eliminated. Moreover, there is a consensus that the ongoing reform of the state and judicial institutions must be successful if blood revenge is to be eradicated in Albania. It is very important to address the origin of blood revenge. For this purpose IGFM needs 1000 €.

Please help achieve this goal.