An Albanian man convicted of murder won a legal action against the Albanian state after the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Albania had delayed legal procedures prior to his sentencing.

Eduard Kola was sentenced to life in prison in 2012 for first-degree murder.

The Supreme Court overturned the decision for “lack of adequate reasoning of the judgment”.

Then, the conviction was upheld by a local court, following a retrial. Back in March, he filed a cassation appeal, but the High Court has yet to set a date for the examination of the appeal.

The ECHR argued:

“The domestic courts had delivered four decisions on the merits in the case, but there had been two significant – and unjustified –periods of inactivity. Judicial reforms did not absolve the State of their obligation to ensure trial in a reasonable time. That was particularly so given the seriousness of the criminal charge against the second applicant and its impact on his rights, despite the understandable impact of far-reaching judicial reforms”

The Albanian state pointed to the judicial reforms as the reason for the delay, an argument that was dismissed by the Strasbourg Court.

The Court held that Albania must pay Kola in total €3,500 for ‘pecuniary damage’, as well as cover the expenses of the trial.