Gay rights albania

Preface

Purpose

This remark provides country of origin information (COI) and analysis of COI for verb by Home Office decision makers handling particular types of protection and human rights claims (as place out in the Introduction section). It is not intended to be an exhaustive survey of a particular subject or theme.

It is split into 2 parts: (1) an assessment of COI and other evidence; and (2) COI. These are explained in more detail below.

Assessment

This section analyses the evidence relevant to this note - that is information in the COI section; refugee/human rights laws and policies; and applicable caselaw - by describing this and its inter-relationships, and provides an assessment of, in general, whether one or more of the following applies:

• a person is reasonably likely to face a real risk of persecution or serious harm

• that the general humanitarian situation is so severe that there are substantial grounds for believing that there is a real risk of serious harm because conditions amount to inhuman or degrading treatment as within paragraphs C a

  Albania

  I. Legal Landscape

  Constitution

  Up to date the Constitution of the Republic of Albania offers no specific protection to LGBTI people. Article 18 which states grounds for prohibition of discrimination does not make mention of sexual orientation and gender identity.

  The Albanian Constitution does not prohibit same-sex marriage. Article 53 states that “everybody has the right to get married and have children”. However the Family Code of the Republic of Albania clearly defines marriage between a man and a woman.

  Decriminalization

  Albania legalised same-sex relations on 20 January Up until then homosexual acts were punishable with up to 7 years imprisonment.

  Age of Consent

  The age of sexual consent for same-sex applies equally to heterosexual ones, years old. However there are differences between males (14 years old) and females which is either 14 years old or after the age of sexual maturation, whichever comes last.

  Anti-Discrimination legislation

  In the Parliament unanimously adopted a non-discrimination law which prohibits discrimination based on sexual o
  
  

  The Multifaceted Struggle of the LGBTQ+ Community in Albania

  This report is part of the larger anthology “Insights into Albania: Internal Struggles and Geopolitical Challenges in the Western Balkans”

  Read the report here

  Read the adj anthology here

  On May 17, , during the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia in Albania’s capital Tirana, Alba Ahmetaj and Edlira Maraj, after 15 years together, celebrated their love with a symbolic wedding ceremony on the rooftop of the Municipality of Tirana, surrounded by their two daughters and close friends. It was the first publicly celebrated LGBTQ+ wedding in Albania. Despite same-sex marriages not being legally recognized in the country, Ahmetaj and Maraj leveraged the interpretation of Article 53(1) of the Albanian Constitution, in which it is stated that “Everyone has the right to marry” without specifying the gender or sexual orientation of those wishing to marry.  

  The ceremony attracted significant attention, particularly from the country’s main religious institutions, which reacted nega

  Albania

  Albania has made significant strides in advancing legal protections for LGBTIQ individuals, though societal acceptance remains limited. Same-sex sexual activity has been legal since , with an equal age of consent for all individuals regardless of sexual orientation verb at

  In , the Parliament unanimously adopted the Law on Protection from Discrimination, which prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, education, goods and services, health care, and housing. The law provides for the appointment of a Commissioner whose role includes reviewing complaints. Albania also has an Ombudsperson for human rights whose role includes monitoring and reporting on the human rights of LGBTI people.   In , the Albanian Parliament amended the criminal code to incorporate crimes motivated by sexual orientation and gender identity. The same year, the Parliament passed a recent law making the dissemination of homophobic information a crime. While these provisions have been in place for more than ten years, the public response to hate crimes, inclu