Types of prisons and labour camps and the position of convicted persons in Albania during the communist dictatorship

Abstract

This article is an analysis of the types of prisons and labour camps, their structure and organization as well as the position of convicted persons while serving the punishment of imprisonment in Albania during the communist dictatorship period. During this time-period and up to the triumph of democracy in Albania (1944-1991) a large number of prisons and labour camps functioned and operated for the serving of punishment for a large number of convicted persons, the majority part of whom where political prisoners. The large number of prisoners during this time-period as well as of prisons and labour camps was most of all a consequence of cruel punitive policy lead by the Albanian communist state, which as such was directed solely against the opposers of the communist regime. In this line, a well deserved place will be allocated to the organization of prisons and labour camps, the purpose of punishment with imprisonment and the position of convicted persons while serving their punishment. The scope of this article is to separately shed light upon the types and purpose of establishment of prisons and labour camps, the harsh positions of convicted persons, the limitation of their rights and inhuman treatment during the monist Albanian state period.