Court in France keeps Albanian man accused of exploiting prostitution in pretrial detention

A court in La Rochelle, France, has rejected a request to release a 30-year-old Albanian man from pretrial detention. He is accused of exploiting prostitution in the city. Agreeing with prosecutors’ arguments that he posed a danger and might flee, the court ruled that he should remain in prison.

The 30-year-old was arrested on October 16 and remanded to Rochefort prison. On October 19, he appeared before the La Rochelle court for a hearing on his release request. A ruling on the merits of the case is expected on December 2.

French media report that the Albanian man is in France without valid documents. He was identified using forged documents and an Italian identity, which he admitted to during questioning.

An international arrest warrant was also issued for him through Interpol on December 13, 2016. Albania has requested his extradition because he is suspected of attempted murder in his home country. He denies the allegations, saying it is a mistake.

The suspicions of exploiting prostitution relate to activity alleged to have taken place in La Rochelle from January 1, 2023, to October 7, 2026. The defendant denies any involvement and says he did not know that the woman he had been living with since 2022 was engaged in prostitution.

At the hearing, he claimed to have been a victim of the woman, saying she had acted the same way with her two previous husbands. Meanwhile, investigators are examining his mobile phone and trying to identify another woman who is suspected of having been exploited for prostitution in La Rochelle.

Prosecutors requested that his pretrial detention continue, arguing that the Albanian man does not have legal residency in France and could leave without a trace. They also stressed that he posed a danger and was wanted by authorities in connection with a serious case in Albania.

After the court ruled that he should remain in pretrial detention, the 30-year-old expressed dissatisfaction. He said he had also been threatened inside the prison and claimed to have video footage proving it.