Klodian Rasha: shot by police officer during curfew, Tirana, 8 Dec 2020
Status: Convicted at first instance and, per reports, on appeal (18 years, reduced to 12). Final status unconfirmed.
Summary
Klodian Rasha, 25, was shot by police officer Nevaldo Hajdaraj in Lapraka, Tirana, in the early hours of 8 December 2020 during curfew. Police first said Rasha was armed and that a pistol was found at the scene; the firearm's owner was not identified in the sources. The prosecution's case, as reported on 30 January 2021, is that CCTV shows Hajdaraj catching Rasha, Rasha breaking free and running, and Hajdaraj shooting him twice from behind. The prosecution first charged excess of self-defence, then intentional murder. The Tirana court sentenced Hajdaraj to 15 years, reduced to 10 under the shortened-trial procedure. Reports of the appeal give 18 years, reduced to 12 under the same procedure; finality is not confirmed in the sources reviewed. The killing triggered protests and the resignation of Interior Minister Sandër Lleshaj.
Case details
- Location
- Lapraka, Tirana
- Person injured
- Klodian Rasha, 25 (name as published)
- Injury
- Fatal gunshot wounds (two shots from behind, per prosecution account).
- Police statement
- Police initially said Rasha was armed and a pistol was found at the scene; the prosecution says the officer had grabbed his hands and knew he was unarmed.
- Prosecution file
- Tirana Prosecution (case number not found in sources reviewed)
- Prosecution status
- Officer convicted at first instance (15 years, 10 after abbreviated trial, per Exit/Shqiptarja); appeal reported as 18 years, 12 after reduction (Shqiptarja headline, second report agrees). Finality not confirmed.
- Footage
- Prosecution presented CCTV footage (30 Jan 2021). The Exit.al article links to a YouTube video (youtube.com/watch?v=u2nnL7tIfsE) as stated in the article. Not viewed by the researcher.
- Official response
- Interior Minister Sandër Lleshaj resigned (per reports). Police 'armed' claim as above. Rasha's father said he no longer trusted Albanian justice (per search summary).
- Outcome
- Conviction reported; appeal reported; cross-reference tocase-klodian-rasha for the political context.
The record
Four lists kept apart on purpose: what is established, what is only alleged, what is still open, and what those concerned said.
What is proven (0)
Established by documents or official records, as stated in the research. A recorded charge or indictment proves only that the accusation was made.
Nothing recorded in this list.
What is alleged (0)
Accusations, not findings. Those accused are presumed innocent.
Nothing recorded in this list.
Open questions (0)
Nothing recorded in this list.
Responses (0)
Responses of the people and organisations concerned, as recorded.
Nothing recorded in this list.
Sources for this record
Every source the research cites for this record, grouped by its source label. 6 sources.
Source label: Officially reportedOfficially reported · 6 sources
- Publisher
- Exit.al
- Date
- 30 Jan 2021
- Publisher
- Top Channel
- Date
- 2021
- Publisher
- Exit.al
- Date
- 2021
- Publisher
- Exit.al
- Date
- 2021
- Publisher
- Shqiptarja
- Date
- 2021
- Publisher
- Associated Press (syndicated)
- Date
- 10 Dec 2020