Kasowitz published a report today (March 10), examining the fundamental deficiencies in due process that underlie the detention and ongoing criminal prosecution of Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj. Today's report complements and updates previous reports published on June 24, 2025 and October 28, 2025.
The updated report on Veliaj addresses two key developments in the case of Mayor Veliaj. First, it highlights the efforts of the prosecution – the Special Structure against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) – to violate Mayor Veliaj’s right to a fair trial. SPAK has repeatedly blocked Veliaj from accessing and reviewing some 60,000 pages of evidence to prepare for his trial. Furthermore, SPAK has restricted the manner and means by which Veliaj’s state-appointed lawyer can communicate with him regarding the evidence and prepare his defense. Only yesterday (March 9), the Court of First Instance, composed of a three-judge panel, rejected SPAK’s position, ordering the latter to send the evidence file to Mayor Veliaj for review and adjourning the trial for two weeks. While this decision represents a step in the right direction, it remains to be seen whether Veliaj can realistically review and process such a large volume of evidence within such a short period of time.
Second, SPAK continues to present unfounded arguments to justify the continuation of President Veliaj’s pre-trial detention. Most recently, SPAK cited Veliaj’s lobbying activities as a basis for extending his detention. However, lobbying is not among the criteria set out to justify the detention of a defendant. There is only one reason why SPAK has used it for this purpose: to punish and retaliate against President Veliaj for exercising his democratic right to address institutions with requests, which in fact has highlighted SPAK’s numerous violations of due process in his case.
“SPAK’s reliance on legitimate advocacy and lobbying activities to justify the continued unlawful detention of Chairman Veliaj in Albania is deeply troubling,” said Daniel Fetterman, a partner at Kasowitz LLP and international advisor to Veliaj. “Petitioning governments and speaking out publicly about his case is a fundamental democratic right and not a basis for imprisonment or punishment. After more than a year of detention and other serious due process violations in Chairman Veliaj’s case, it is appropriate that the U.S. government – which helped create and advise SPAK – examine what happened and why this is happening. Through letters to the U.S. Department of State and the Department of Justice, we are seeking to do just that.”
Kasowitz's team representing Chairman Veliaj includes partners Daniel J. Fetterman and Brian S. Choi in New York, as well as senior counsel Clarine Nardi Riddle and special counsel David Miller in Washington, D.C.
