The relatives of the two owners of the vehicle service in Shkodër, where a 16-year-old Afghan boy was allegedly held by force, have rejected the accusations.
Alehandro Pashuku, who has been arrested, and Kristjan Pashuku, wanted, are accused of holding the minor by force in order to use him for work.
However, their brother Lazër Pashuku and their father Aleksandër Pashuku stated that they kept the Afghan minor as a member of their family, after they fed him, gave him medicine, and sheltered him in their apartment.
The owners of the service where the Afghan was found show that the 16-year-old was completely free and moved around the city alone or with other employees, according to his wishes.
They said they met the minor by chance in a bar near their area and they took him to help him since he was hungry and homeless.
The owners say that the Afghan national told them that he is 19 years old and not 16, and that he communicated freely every night with his family.
Lazër Pashuku also says that the Afghan did all this with the intention of seeking asylum and leaving for his family in Greece.
The owner says that he wanted to help him leave for Greece by giving him money and food for the journey, but according to him the Afghan asked him to stay two more months to work.
Likewise, the father of the Pashuku brothers, Aleksandër Pashuku, says that he opened the doors of his house by sleeping there and treating him the same as his sons.
The Pashuku family demands justice for the arrested Alehandro Pashuku and the wanted Kristjan Pashuku, saying that it is not true that they trafficked him and that there was no pressure, on the contrary, they helped him.