"You released Suel Çela's brother from prison" - The Special Court dismisses Balla's lawsuit against Berisha

2026-09-21 15:56:02Aktualitet SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

"You released Suel Çela's brother from prison" - The

The Special Court decided this Monday to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the head of the Socialist Party Parliamentary Group, Taulant Balla, against former Prime Minister Sali Berisha. It is related to a "digital citizen" message that Berisha published in April 2026.

It is about a message in which Taulant Balla was accused of having released from Peqin prison Mario Çela, the brother of Suel Çela, who is considered the leader of a very dangerous criminal group in Elbasan.

Sali Berisha, referring to a "message from the digital citizen", wrote that "Balla has taken the dangerous murderer Mario Çela out of Peqin prison and sent him to an emergency room at the Elbasan hospital."

Immediately, the head of the Socialist Party Parliamentary Group, Taulant Balla, sued the leader of the Democrat Party for charges of "Insult" and "Public Defamation", as provided for in articles 119/2 and 120/2 of the Criminal Code. But today, the Special Court has decided to dismiss this case.

Court decision

The accusing victim Taulant Balla on 16.04.2026 submitted to the Court the request with the subject: "The guilty declaration of the accused Sali Berisha for committing the criminal offenses of "Insult" and "Defamation", committed publicly to the detriment of the accusing victim Taulant Balla, provided for by articles 119 and 120 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Albania".

At the end of the trial, the Special Court of First Instance for Corruption and Organized Crime, with a panel composed of Judge Besmir Stroka, with decision no. 67, dated 21.09.2026, decided:

Discontinuation of the trial of case No. Reg. 111, registration date 16.04.2026, with the accusing victim Taulant Balla, the accused Sali Berisha.

Court costs borne by the accusing victim.

An appeal may be filed against this decision at the Special Court of Appeal for Corruption and Organized Crime within 15 (fifteen) days, starting from the day after the notification of this decision.


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