The head of Albania’s Republican Guard, Ndrea Prendi, and two government employees have been arrested in connection with the killings of four protesters during an antigovernment demonstration a year ago.

The four demonstrators were shot dead on January 21, 2011, when thousands of people demonstrated against government corruption and alleged vote rigging by Albania’s conservative government.

The FBI assisted in the Albanian prosecutor’s investigation of the events.

Prosecutor General Ina Rama said there was evidence that Prendi himself killed one of the protesters.

The other two arrestees were Prendi’s driver and an IT technician for the prime minister, both of whom face charges of concealing evidence.

Several thousand people gathered in Tirana on January 21 to commemorate the anniversary of the protester deaths.

compiled from agency reports

Copyright © 2012, RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

Source Article from http://www.rferl.org/content/albania_security_official_charged_protester_murders/24461125.html

Web Statistics