Eqerem Spahia

Eqerem Gafur Spahia, (sometimes Ekrem, Spahiu, etc.) (born 18 April 1960) was a Member of the Albanian Parliament in XVIth legislature (from 2001). He is Chief of Legality Movement Party and Parliamentary Group of this party and was elected two times as President of Legality Movement Party (from 12 April 1998). Eqerem Spahia was arrested[1] for "organising armed uprising, participating in it and violating institutions" after an armed protest near the parliament building that aimed to topple the Nano government and bring to power Crown Prince Leka, son of Zog of Albania, in September 1998.

He is now the deputy Minister of Defence of Albania.

Ekrem Spahiu made the most disputed case of homophobia and hate speech in Albania as he stated in 2012 to a local newspaper: “What remains to be done is to beat them up with a stick. If you don't understand this, I can explain it: to beat them with a rubber stick”. The EU Delegation in Tirana, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and ILGA Europe, the local and international media covered and condemned this statement, even Prime Minister Sali Berisha condemned it publicly, but the Commissioner failed to follow up the case.[2]


References
  1. "Albanian police arrest Legality Party leader for seizing TV station". BBC. ATA news agency. 25 September 1998. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
  2. http://archive.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2012/03/26/albanian_pm_rebukes_deputy_minister_over_gays/

See also


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