Arberi

The MoD is silent about Hajrizi's escape and the MIA promises to catch him "in a few hours or days"

On Monday, one day after the escape from the Correctional Center in Smrekonica, Faton Hajrizi was announced through social networks. He has complained about severe conditions in the center. The Ministry of Justice has not responded regarding this escape, while the leader of the Ministry of Internal Affairs has promised to capture him very quickly. Meanwhile, the lawyer Anton Nrecaj said that the institutions had to learn from this history of frequent escapes

A day after he escaped from prison for the ninth time, Faton Hajrizi published a video on the social network TikTok on Monday, where he complained about the conditions in the Smrekonica Correctional Center, which, according to him, pushed him to escape.

In the 13-minute video, he also complains that he was not able to serve part of his sentence on parole. Also, according to him, the officials of this center have not treated him well.

"Personally, I have a big remark about the open-type Smrekonica prison, I stayed there for a month and a half, I say it briefly and in Albanian, I'm never hungry there, my stomach is never hungry", he said. he said in the video.

Hajrizi has said that he will return to serve his sentence, as soon as he sees fit.

"These have pushed me to make a decision and temporarily go free. I'm sure the rest, even though I don't agree with this justice, I'll come back and keep it. When?, I know when. When I see that there is law, order and all the conditions are ripe for me to keep the prison", he declared.
The Correctional Service of Kosovo, through a communiqué, has announced the suspension of two correctional officers. 

The institution that manages prisons has announced that the fugitive, due to his good behavior, has also received benefits.

"He has used the right to the benefit of the weekend at home several times, the last time he returned from the weekend was on 03.07.2024. Also, he had submitted a request for employment outside the correctional institution. His departure took place from the Smrekonicë Correctional Center, an open-type institution with low physical and material security elements, where the behavior of convicted persons is based on self-discipline and personal responsibility", says the announcement of the SCK.

Lawyer Anton Nrecaj has estimated that institutions should have learned from this history of frequent escapes. 

"The burden of responsibility falls on the Ministry of Justice, they should think carefully about how to advance the officials in prisons who are responsible for prison management. "Unfortunately, recently we have many cases where prisoners escape from prison and the moment they escape, they are free and can commit criminal offenses again", said Nrecaj.

KOHA has addressed questions to the Ministry of Justice regarding this case, but has not received an answer.

But another government department, that of Internal Affairs, has warned of the quick capture of Hajrizi.

He warned in a media conference in Qafë Morinë on Monday that the capture of Hajriz is a matter of hours or days.

"The police have already made their commitment to fully investigate the case, whether it's his escape or his location and arrest him very quickly... The police are working, I'm convinced, and the police will come with results very soon. You are seeing the results of the police for every day so that we have a minimum number of cases where we have difficulties in detection, it means that the detection is maximum, and the actions of the police are extremely effective. I am not too worried about this, seeing the efficiency of the police, it is a matter of hours or days", said Sveçla.

Hajrizi was initially convicted in January 2000 for killing a Russian soldier in the center of Skenderaj, when he was only 15 years old. He was sentenced to 6 years in prison for this murder. 

Hajrizi tried to avoid serving the sentence nine times. 

He has managed to escape from prisons in Mitrovica, Prishtina, Prizren, Dubrava, and also escaped from the American army camp "Bondsteel".

In addition to murder and escape, he is also convicted for injuring two police officers and robbing a jewelry store in Drenas. For all these crimes he is sentenced to 27 years of imprisonment.