Albanian judge shot dead in court by man during trial

A judge in Albania has been shot dead after a man opened fire during a trial at the Court of Appeal in the capital Tirana.

Judge Astrit Kalaja died en route to hospital, officials said, while two others involved in the hearing over a property dispute - a father and son - were shot but sustained injuries that were not life-threatening.

Police said they had arrested a 30-year-old male suspect who they identified by the initials "E Sh", but Albanian media have named as Elvis Shkëmbi.

Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama offered his condolences to Judge Kalaja's family, adding: "The criminal aggression against the judge undoubtedly requires the most extreme legal response toward the aggressor."

He also called for stricter security within the country's courts and harsher punishments for the illegal possession of weapons.

Sali Berisha, leader of the opposition Democratic Party, said Judge Kalaja's murder was the first time in 35 years a judge had been killed "while doing his duty", adding: "Today is the day for a deep reflection by all Albanian society."

The suspect in Judge Kalaja's killing had opened fire because he expected to lose the case, according to local media reports.

Mr Shkëmbi's uncle and the court's security guard have also reportedly been arrested over the shooting.

Albania's general prosecutor Olsian Çela said in the wake of the incident that the security of judges needed enhancing "in every respect".

"Beyond the heartbreaking loss of one life and the injury of two others, this event strikes at the very foundation of justice and the functioning of the legal system," he said.

Firearm attacks on judges in the courtroom are rare but they do happen. A decade ago, a judge in Milan's Palace of Justice was shot and killed by a man on trial in a bankruptcy case.

The gunman also killed a lawyer and his co-defendent before escaping, but was later arrested.

Judge Kalaja was a lawyer for more than 30 years. He initially worked in a district court before being appointed to Tirana's Court of Appeal in 2019.

Among Balkan nations, Albania had the highest number of firearm incidents linked to public disputes in the first six months of this year, according to a UN-backed regional monitor, external.

Between January and June, there were 43 instances in which a firearm was involved in a public dispute in Albania, out of a total of 213 firearm-related incidents.

However, that is less than the number recorded in the same period last year.