CCPR/C/121/D/2837/2016 right to freedom of movement under article 12 of the Covenant. In their initial submission of 9 November 2015, they requested interim measures to halt any further evictions. 1.2 On 14 January 2016, the authors reported that they had been provided with accommodation as a result of the efforts of a non-governmental organization and withdrew their initial request for interim measures. The authors are represented by counsel, Dorian Matlija and Theodoros Alexandridis. 1.3 On 17 March 2017, the Committee, acting through its Special Rapporteur on new communications and interim measures, decided to examine the admissibility of the communication separately from the merits, in accordance with rule 97 of the Committee’s rules of procedure. The facts as submitted by the authors 2.1 The authors are members of a Roma family who were among the families evicted on 14 and 15 October 2015 from a plot of land in an expensive area currently under development, next to the artificial lake of Tirana (which is close to the city centre),1 despite protests by non-governmental organizations and the Albanian ombudsman, who addressed a series of recommendations to the various authorities reminding them of the State’s obligations under international law. 2 During their stay of approximately two years next to the lake, they had managed to erect shacks that protected them to a certain extent from the weather. 2.2 The Municipality of Tirana proceeded with their eviction without presenting any legal basis for its actions; the Roma were never served with any court order ordering their eviction, whereas it would appear that at least part of the land that they were occupying belonged to a private individual and not to the municipality. As soon as the eviction had been completed, on 15 October 2015, the municipality organized a press conference in situ where the mayor of Tirana set out his vision for the redevelopment of the area. Tensions arose when an opposition municipal councillor protested the eviction of the Roma. The authors note that the Municipality of Tirana is a member of the European Alliance of Cities and Regions for Roma Inclusion of the Council of Europe. 2.3 The Roma, who, like the authors, were not registered in the municipal rolls of Tirana, were offered, unofficially, a sum of money as compensation as well as transport expenses to return to their city of origin (in the authors’ case, Elbasan). 3 The authors were provided with €100 each and with free transport to Elbasan. 2.4 Despite assurances by Municipality of Tirana staff that the municipal authorities of Elbasan had been advised of their return and would provide them with assistance, this did not happen.4 Without any support or work opportunities, the authors decided to return to Tirana with a view to resuming their main professional activity, namely the collection and sale of recyclable material, which is their main source of income. 2.5 Following their return to Tirana, the authors sought a place to settle. They finally settled in a house that was under construction,5 in an area close to the previous settlement. 1 2 3 4 5 2 The authors provided a copy of Amnesty International Public Statement, “Albania: 44 Roma families desperately need adequate housing, not forced eviction”, AI Index: EUR 11/2644/2015, 13 October 2015. The authors refer to a letter dated 8 October 2015 from the ombudsman, reference No. K1/IK118-4 Prot, which at the time was posted in English on the ombudsman’s website (avokatipopullitt.gov.al). Only one of the authors (K.Z.) owns a small plot of land in Elbasan. Counsel have not provided information about whether the other authors own housing in Elbasan. All the authors and their families had been living in Tirana for more than five years, although they did not attempt to transfer their official residence. All of the authors returned to Tirana the next day, so it is not clear whether they had looked for any assistance in Elbasan. The authors presented photographs of the building under construction where they had lived before their second eviction on 7 November 2015. The Roma and the police can also be seen in some of the photographs.

Select target paragraph3