National Documentation Packages (NDPs) are lists of public documents that provide information on country conditions. Updates occur on a regular basis.
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Jurisprudential Guides Notes
Jurisprudential Guides Notes
On
July 28, 2022, the Chairperson identified the following Refugee Appeal Division decision as being a
Jurisprudential Guide:
-
Decision TC1 05038 – The proper interpretation of the ‘generalized risk’ exception to protection found at subparagraph 97(1)(b)(ii) of the Act, in claims for protection involving allegations of gang-targeting or other acts of criminality.
On
December 22, 2020, the Chairperson identified the following Refugee Appeal Division decision as being a
Jurisprudential Guide.
-
Decision MB8-00025 – This Jurisprudential Guide addresses, in applying Article 1E of the Refugee Convention, whether members should consider allegations of risk in a country of residence if they conclude that a refugee claimant has the rights and obligations which are attached to the possession of nationality in that country.
On
July 6, 2018, the Chairperson identified the following Refugee Appeal Division decision as being a
Jurisprudential Guide.
-
Decision TB7-19851 – Nigeria – This Jurisprudential Guide addresses internal flight alternatives in major cities in south and central Nigeria for claimants fleeing non-state actors.
Revoked
The country documentation referenced in each of these decisions has been included in s.16 of the updated National Documentation Packages published on July 10, 2018.
On
July 20, 2017, the Chairperson identified the following Refugee Appeal Division decision as being
Jurisprudential Guides.
-
Decision TB7-01837 – Pakistan – Whether the treatment experienced by Ahmadis in Pakistan amounts to persecution, whether state protection is available and whether there is a viable internal flight alternative.
-
Decision MB6-01059/60 – India – Availability of an internal flight alternative in India for claimants from Punjab.
Revoked
-
Decision TB6-11632 – China – Analysis of the efficacy of the Chinese national computer network known as the Golden Shield Project and its impact on whether a person wanted by the authorities can exit China via an airport using a genuine passport.
Revoked
The country documentation referenced in each of these decisions has been included in s.16 of the updated National Documentation Packages published on July 20, 2017.
Back
29 March 2019
ALBANIA
List of Documents
1.
General Information and Maps
Source:
United States. Central Intelligence Agency.
Accessed Date:
12 November 2012
Title:
Albanie. L'Encyclopédie en ligne.
Accessed Date:
25 July 2016
Title:
Country Policy and Information Note. Albania: Women fearing domestic abuse. Version 2.0.
Source:
United Kingdom. Home Office.
Date of Document:
December 2017
Accessed Date:
5 September 2018
Title:
Albania. The World Factbook.
Source:
United States. Central Intelligence Agency.
Date of Document:
19 September 2018
Accessed Date:
24 September 2018
Title:
Country Policy and Information Note. Albania: Background information, including actors of protection, and internal relocation. Version 2.0.
Source:
United Kingdom. Home Office.
Date of Document:
July 2017
Accessed Date:
28 September 2017
Title:
Country Policy and Information Note. Albania: People trafficking. Version 6.0.
Source:
United Kingdom. Home Office.
Date of Document:
June 2018
Accessed Date:
5 September 2018
Title:
Country Information and Guidance. Albania: Blood Feuds. Version 2.0.
Source:
United Kingdom. Home Office.
Date of Document:
6 July 2016
Accessed Date:
25 July 2016
Keywords:
children; crime; document fraud; extralegal executions/killings; honour crimes; identity documents; international guidance note; legal system; legislation; map; organized crime; police efficacy; police/security forces; statistics
Title:
Country Policy and Information Note. Albania: Sexual orientation and gender identity. Version 4.0.
Source:
United Kingdom. Home Office.
Date of Document:
May 2017
Accessed Date:
31 July 2017
Title:
Country Policy and Information Note. Albania: Ethnic minority groups. Version 3.0.
Source:
United Kingdom. Home Office.
Date of Document:
May 2017
Accessed Date:
27 September 2017
Title:
EASO Country of Origin Information Report. Albania: Country Focus.
Source:
European Asylum Support Office
Date of Document:
November 2016
Accessed Date:
31 July 2017
Title:
Section specific observations and recommendations. ARC and DCR comments on the EASO Country of Origin Information Report on Albania, November 2016.
Source:
Asylum Research Consultancy; Dutch Council for Refugees
Date of Document:
July 2017
Accessed Date:
26 September 2017
Title:
Report of a Home Office Fact-Finding Mission: Albania.
Source:
United Kingdom. Home Office.
Date of Document:
February 2018
Accessed Date:
5 September 2018
Title:
Albania. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2018.
Source:
United States. Department of State.
Date of Document:
13 March 2019
Accessed Date:
19 March 2019
Title:
Fundamentals First: Political Criteria and Rule of Law Chapters. Commission Staff Working Document: Albania 2018 Report.
Code:
SWD(2018) 151 final
Source:
European Union. European Commission.
Date of Document:
17 April 2018
Accessed Date:
5 September 2018
Title:
Albania. Amnesty International Report 2017/2018: The State of the World's Human Rights.
Source:
Amnesty International
Date of Document:
22 February 2018
Accessed Date:
5 September 2018
Title:
Annual Report on the activity of the People's Advocate. 1st January – 31st December. Year 2016.
Source:
Albania. Albanian People's Advocate.
Date of Document:
April 2017
Accessed Date:
26 September 2017
Title:
Albania. Nations in Transit 2018.
Accessed Date:
5 September 2018
Title:
Albania. Freedom in the World 2018.
Accessed Date:
6 September 2018
Title:
Mid-Term report of Albania on the implementation of the recommendations received during the second cycle of Universal Periodic Review (UPR)
Source:
United Nations. Human Rights Council.
Date of Document:
March 2017
Accessed Date:
3 August 2017
Title:
Report of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances on its mission to Albania
Source:
United Nations. Human Rights Council.
Date of Document:
18 July 2017
Accessed Date:
26 September 2017
Title:
Report of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances on its mission to Albania: comments by the State
Date of Document:
28 June 2017
Accessed Date:
26 September 2017
Title:
Report on the Situation of Respect for Human Rights and Freedoms in Albania During 2016
Source:
Albanian Helsinki Committee
Date of Document:
April 2017
Author:
Elton Frashëri et al.
Accessed Date:
3 August 2017
Title:
Honouring of obligations and commitments by Albania. Information note by the co-rapporteurs on their fact-finding visit to Tirana (26-28 October 2016).
Source:
Council of Europe. Parliamentary Assembly. Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee).
Date of Document:
18 January 2017
Accessed Date:
3 August 2017
3.
Identification Documents and Citizenship
Title:
Law No. 8389, dated 05.08.1998 on Albanian Citizenship
Publisher:
New York University School of Law. East European Constitutional Review.
Accessed Date:
12 November 2012
Keywords:
children; citizenship; legislation; marriage
Title:
Albania. U.S. Visa: Reciprocity and Civil Documents by Country.
Source:
United States. Department of State.
Accessed Date:
5 September 2018
Title:
Requirements and procedures to obtain a biometric identity card, including renewal and replacement, both within and outside the country; appearance and content of the card (2015-September 2017)
Source:
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
Date of Document:
18 September 2017
Accessed Date:
27 September 2017
Title:
The biometric passport; its appearance and biometric data stored on it; requirements and procedures to obtain a biometric passport from within Albania; whether it can be replaced or renewed from abroad (2012-June 2015)
Source:
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
Date of Document:
9 June 2015
Accessed Date:
18 September 2015
Keywords:
identity documents
Title:
The current citizenship regime. Country Report: Albania.
Source:
European University Institute. European Union Democracy Observatory on Citizenship.
Date of Document:
November 2012
Accessed Date:
23 October 2014
Keywords:
children; citizenship; legislation
Title:
Birth certificates, including appearance, details of information included; whether the certificate is a standard form used nationally or whether it varies depending on region or city; whether the certificate is used for other official documents...
Source:
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
Date of Document:
7 February 2014
Accessed Date:
21 May 2014
Keywords:
identity documents
Title:
Procedure for filling in the cause of death on Albanian death certificates; whether there is a written explanation of the cause of death or a reference to a section of the act governing the issuance of death certificates; whether the procedure is standard
Source:
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
Date of Document:
1 February 2011
Accessed Date:
12 November 2012
Keywords:
medical records
4.
Political Activities and Organizations
Title:
I. Political Transformation. Transformation Index 2018 Country Report: Albania.
Source:
Bertelsmann Stiftung
Accessed Date:
6 September 2018
Title:
Republic of Albania. Election for Kuvendi I Shqipërisë (Parliament of Albania) of 25 June 2017.
Source:
International Foundation for Electoral Systems. Election Guide.
Accessed Date:
26 September 2017
Title:
International Election Observation Mission. Republic of Albania, Parliamentary Elections, 25 June 2017. Statement of Preliminary Findings and Conclusions.
Source:
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.
Date of Document:
26 June 2017
Accessed Date:
26 September 2017
Source:
European Forum for Democracy and Solidarity
Date of Document:
6 March 2018
Accessed Date:
24 September 2018
5.
Gender, Domestic Violence and Children
Title:
Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence Baseline Report: Albania.
Source:
Council of Europe's Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence
Date of Document:
24 November 2017
Accessed Date:
6 September 2018
Title:
Public Perceptions & Attitude Towards Gender Equality in Albania
Source:
United Nations Development Programme
Date of Document:
30 March 2016
Accessed Date:
4 August 2017
Title:
Law No. 9669, of 18.12.2006 on Measures Against Violence in Family Relations
Accessed Date:
13 November 2012
Keywords:
domestic violence; legislation
Title:
Law No 144 2013 Criminalization of Sexual Violence
Accessed Date:
4 August 2017
Title:
Albania. Social Institutions and Gender Index 2014.
Source:
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Accessed Date:
28 November 2014
Keywords:
abduction; children; domestic violence; ethnic and national groups; family law; female genital mutilation; labour; legal system; legislation; marriage; minorities; political activities; sexual violence; statistics
Title:
Forced marriages of women, including those who are already married; state protection and resources provided to women who try to avoid a marriage imposed on them (2010-June 2015)
Source:
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
Date of Document:
13 August 2015
Accessed Date:
21 September 2015
Keywords:
family law; gender equality; legislation; marriage
Title:
Concluding observations on the fourth periodic report of Albania
Source:
United Nations. Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.
Date of Document:
25 July 2016
Accessed Date:
16 September 2016
Title:
List of issues and questions in relation to the fourth periodic report of Albania. Addendum. Replies of Albania.
Code:
CEDAW/C/ALB/Q/4/Add.1
Date of Document:
23 March 2016
Accessed Date:
26 September 2017
Title:
Albania. Compilation of Country Profiles.
Source:
Women Against Violence Europe
Date of Document:
March 2018
Accessed Date:
6 September 2018
Title:
Report submitted by Albania pursuant to Article 68, paragraph 1 of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Baseline Report)
Source:
Council of Europe. Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence
Date of Document:
19 January 2017
Accessed Date:
4 August 2017
Title:
Role of Tirana District Court in Protection from Domestic Violence in Family Relationship
Source:
Human Rights in Democracy Center
Accessed Date:
4 August 2017
Title:
Albania. Annual Review of the Human Rights Situation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex People in Europe.
Source:
International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association. ILGA-Europe.
Date of Document:
May 2018
Accessed Date:
25 September 2018
Title:
Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination, including complaints received based on discrimination against sexual minorities and actions taken by the Commissioner; Anti-discrimination training provided to government authorities, including...
Source:
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
Date of Document:
7 February 2014
Accessed Date:
21 May 2014
Keywords:
human rights activists; institutional efficacy; legislation; police/security forces complaints; political activities; sexual minorities
Title:
Contribution from Aleanca LGBT, ProLGBT, ILGA-Europe and ERA for Albania's Report 2016
Source:
Aleanca LGBT et al.
Date of Document:
1 June 2016
Accessed Date:
27 July 2016
Source:
LGBTI Equal Rights Association for Western Balkans and Turkey
Date of Document:
28 April 2016
Accessed Date:
4 August 2017
Keywords:
institutional efficacy; police efficacy; sexual minorities; social services
Title:
Being LGBTI In Eastern Europe: Albania Country Report: Reducing Inequalities & Exclusion and Combating
Source:
United Nations Development Programme et al.
Date of Document:
28 November 2017
Accessed Date:
6 September 2018
7.
Criminality and Corruption
Title:
Statistics on blood feuds; state protection and support services available to those affected by blood feuds, including whether individuals have been prosecuted for blood feud-related crimes (2010-2015)
Source:
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
Date of Document:
10 September 2015
Accessed Date:
28 September 2015
Keywords:
children; corruption; crime; document fraud; extralegal executions/killings; freedom of movement; government corruption; institutional efficacy; judicial efficacy; police corruption; police efficacy; social services; statistics
Title:
Attestation letters for blood feuds; issuing organizations; how letters are issued, processed and stored; whether issuing organizations are recognized by the government; whether the Committee of Nationwide Reconciliation (CNR) has the...
Source:
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
Date of Document:
1 February 2012
Accessed Date:
12 November 2012
Keywords:
crime; document fraud; identity documents
Title:
Task force established to investigate falsified attestation letters for blood feuds, including activities and cases investigated; reconciliation groups, including whether any have been investigated for providing false attestation letters...
Source:
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
Date of Document:
28 February 2014
Accessed Date:
21 May 2014
Keywords:
corruption; crime; document fraud; extralegal executions/killings; human rights activists; police efficacy; police/security forces
Title:
Albania. 2018 Crime and Safety Report.
Source:
United States. Overseas Security Advisory Council.
Date of Document:
26 January 2018
Accessed Date:
6 September 2018
Title:
Country Review Report of Albania. Review by Armenia and Mali of the implementation by Albania of articles 15 – 42 of Chapter III. “Criminalization and law enforcement” and articles 44 – 50 of Chapter IV. “International cooperation” of the United Nations Convention against Corruption for the review cycle 2010 – 2015.
Source:
United Nations. Office on Drugs and Crime.
Date of Document:
5 April 2016
Accessed Date:
8 September 2016
Title:
Descriptive Document On The Phenomenon Of “Hakmarrja” And “Gjakmarrja” To Raise Awareness Among Albanian And International Institutions - III Edition
Source:
Operazione Colomba - Nonviolent Peace Corps of the Association Comunità Papa Giovanni XXIII
Date of Document:
December 2017
Accessed Date:
6 September 2018
Title:
Blood Feuds in contemporary Albania: Characterisation, Prevalence and Response by the State
Source:
Belgium. Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons.
Date of Document:
29 June 2017
Accessed Date:
26 September 2017
Title:
Albanie: vendetta. Renseignement de l'analyse-pays de l'OSAR.
Source:
Swiss Refugee Council
Date of Document:
13 July 2016
Accessed Date:
16 September 2016
Keywords:
armed groups; conflict; crime; legal system; legislation; police efficacy; police/security forces
Title:
Albania: Tier 2. Trafficking in Persons Report 2018.
Source:
United States. Department of State.
Date of Document:
June 2018
Accessed Date:
6 September 2018
Title:
Report concerning the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings by Albania. Second Evaluation Round.
Source:
Council of Europe. Group of Experts on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings.
Date of Document:
3 June 2016
Accessed Date:
8 September 2016
Title:
National Integrity System Assessment Albania 2016
Source:
Transparency International
Date of Document:
8 September 2016
Accessed Date:
4 August 2017
Title:
Fourth Evaluation Round. Corruption prevention in respect of members of parliament, judges and prosecutors. Compliance Report. Albania.
Source:
Council of Europe. Group of States Against Corruption.
Date of Document:
15 April 2016
Accessed Date:
27 July 2016
Title:
Albania. Country Reports on Terrorism 2017.
Source:
United States. Department of State.
Date of Document:
September 2018
Accessed Date:
25 September 2018
Title:
Instances of Muslim extremists targeting members of the Albanian military forces, including soldiers who formerly served in Iraq with US peacekeeping forces (2004-February 2015)
Source:
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
Date of Document:
19 February 2015
Accessed Date:
21 September 2015
Keywords:
armed groups; conflict; crime; extremist/terrorist organizations
8.
Military Service - (No items in this section)
9.
Judiciary, Legal and Penal Systems
Title:
Law No. 9235, Dated 29.07.2004 on Restitution and Compensation of Property (amended 2006)
Accessed Date:
13 November 2012
Title:
Albania. Law No. 133/2015 on the Treatment of Property and Finalisation of the Process of Compensation of Property and Explanatory Memorandum and Report on the Law (Explanatory Report).
Source:
Albania; Council of Europe. Venice Commission.
Date of Document:
4 August 2016
Accessed Date:
4 August 2017
Title:
Law No. 10 221 dated 4.2.2010 on Protection from Discrimination
Accessed Date:
13 November 2012
Title:
Monitoring of Administrative Trials 2015. At the first instance administrative courts and Administrative Court of Appeal.
Source:
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
Date of Document:
22 February 2017
Accessed Date:
4 August 2017
Title:
Update: A Guide to Researching the Albanian Legal System
Date of Document:
September 2015
Author:
Mbaresa Veleshnja Gentry; Engjellushe (Angel) Kozeli Mozina
Accessed Date:
30 September 2015
Keywords:
country overview; legal system; legislation
Title:
Response of the Albanian Government to the report of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) on its visit to Albania
Source:
Council of Europe. European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT).
Date of Document:
24 May 2018
Accessed Date:
6 September 2018
Title:
Report to the Albanian Government on the visit to Albania carried out by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) from 2 to 9 February 2017
Source:
Council of Europe. European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT).
Date of Document:
24 May 2018
Accessed Date:
6 September 2018
10.
Police and Security Forces
Title:
The Albanian State Police (ASP), including its structure and locations; police corruption; police misconduct; procedures to submit a complaint against police and responsiveness to complaints (2011-2015)
Source:
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
Date of Document:
15 September 2015
Accessed Date:
28 September 2015
Keywords:
arbitrary arrest and detention; institutional efficacy; legal system; legislation; police corruption; police efficacy; police/security forces; torture
Title:
Procedures to obtain a police report; whether a police report can be obtained from abroad through a proxy; if so, requirements and procedures (2012-September 2015)
Source:
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
Date of Document:
21 August 2015
Accessed Date:
28 September 2015
Keywords:
legislation; police efficacy; police report; police/security forces
Title:
Police Integrity and Corruption in Albania 2.0
Source:
Institute for Democracy and Mediation
Accessed Date:
4 August 2017
Title:
The Citizens' Opinion of the Police Force. The Results of a Public Opinion Survey Conducted in Albania.
Date of Document:
September 2017
Accessed Date:
6 September 2018
Title:
Albania. Freedom of the Press 2015.
Accessed Date:
21 September 2015
Keywords:
election; freedom of the press; legislation; police/security forces; political activities; political organizations
Title:
Albania. International Religious Freedom Report for 2017.
Source:
United States. Department of State.
Date of Document:
29 May 2018
Accessed Date:
6 September 2018
Title:
Report of the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief on his mission to Albania
Source:
United Nations. Human Rights Council.
Date of Document:
16 January 2018
Accessed Date:
6 September 2018
13.
Nationality, Ethnicity and Race
Title:
Fourth Report submitted by Albania pursuant to Article 25, paragraph 2 of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities
Code:
ACFC/SR/IV(2016)005
Date of Document:
18 November 2016
Accessed Date:
26 September 2017
Title:
Statelessness, Discrimination and Marginalisation of Roma in Albania
Source:
European Roma Rights Centre
Date of Document:
February 2018
Accessed Date:
6 September 2018
Title:
Treatment of ethnic Albanians, including information on the Albanian community; whether blood feuds follow Albanians to Greece
Source:
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
Date of Document:
26 February 2014
Accessed Date:
21 May 2014
Keywords:
crime; minorities; statistics
Title:
Situation of Roma, including access to education, employment, housing and social services; treatment of Roma by society and authorities (2011-June 2014)
Source:
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
Date of Document:
16 June 2014
Accessed Date:
23 October 2014
Keywords:
children; ethnic and national groups; legislation; minorities; police/security forces; social services; statistics
Title:
Albania. Roma Inclusion Index 2015.
Source:
Decade of Roma Inclusion Secretariat Foundation
Date of Document:
September 2015
Author:
Ylli Cabiri et al.
Accessed Date:
8 September 2016
Keywords:
ethnic and national groups; legislation; minorities; police/security forces; social services
14.
Exit/Entry and Freedom of Movement
Title:
Social and Economic Profile of the Return Migrants in Albania
Source:
International Organisation for Migration. Albania.
Date of Document:
December 2016
Accessed Date:
4 August 2017
15.
Labour, Employment and Unions - (No items in this section)
16.
Other - (No items in this section)
The following changes have been made to the previous package dated 28 September 2018:
Title:
Albania. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2017.
Source:
United States. Department of State.
Date of Document:
20 April 2018
URL:
http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?year=2017&dlid=277133
Accessed Date:
23 April 2018
Disclaimer
National Documentation Packages (NDPs) include country-of-origin information that is publicly accessible at the time of publication and available within time constraints. While the Research Directorate strives to maintain the
NDP with current information, the research is not exhaustive and country conditions can change rapidly. Members of the public are invited to
suggest documents they feel are relevant to the
NDP.
NDPs are not, and do not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Rather, they are intended to support the refugee determination process. The assessment and weight to be given to the information in the
NDPs are the responsibility of independent
IRB members (decision-makers) after considering the evidence and arguments presented by the parties.
All sources are fully cited, including a hyperlink, to facilitate the location of the information. The
IRB will attempt to ensure that these links are maintained for the most recent
NDP. It cannot guarantee or be responsible for:
- the functionality of links to external sources,
- the content accessed by these links,
- the availability of external content in both English and French,
- any other part of a third party website.
The information presented in
NDPs solely reflects the views and perspectives of the sources cited and does not necessarily reflect the position of the
IRB or the Government of Canada.