Organizers of “Free the Boys” write to foreign embassies: Police force was excessive and used to intimidate citizens

Through a letter addressed to the embassies of friendly countries in Tirana, the protest organizers condemned the intervention of the State Police at the July 2 gathering, describing the use of force as disproportionate and in violation of citizens’ constitutional rights.

In their response, they also refer to the monitoring carried out by the Albanian Helsinki Committee, which identified concerns related to the handling of the protest and raised suspicions of the police exceeding their authority.

The statement also calls for an independent investigation into every suspected case of police violence, as well as the release of the protesters arrested during the gathering. The organizers also express concern over reported checks on citizens seeking to join the next protest, describing them as forms of pressure and intimidation.

At the same time, they call on the State Police to ensure the smooth conduct of the next protest and to avoid any action that could lead to an escalation of the situation. They also urge citizens to preserve the peaceful nature of the protest and invite them to take part in the upcoming mobilization, reiterating the demand for the release of the arrested protesters.

Full statement by the Coordinating Group:

Protest is a fundamental constitutional right and remains one of the most important instruments citizens have at their disposal to hold those in power accountable. Any attempt to obstruct, suppress, or intimidate the exercise of this right through force undermines democracy and basic freedoms.

We strongly condemn the disproportionate use of force by the State Police against protesters during the July 2, 2026 protest, including the use of tear gas without warning, the pushing and beating of protesters, as well as the use of violence against restrained individuals. These are unacceptable actions and run counter to the standards of a democratic state.

According to monitoring carried out by the Albanian Helsinki Committee, serious concerns were identified over the management of the protest, raising strong suspicions that the State Police exceeded its authority and used force in violation of the law and international standards for the protection of human rights. It is also clearly emphasized that the actions of a limited number of individuals cannot serve as justification for the use of violence against thousands of citizens who protested peacefully.

We call on the State Police to provide a public explanation for the use of force during the July 2 protest and to enable an independent, transparent, and effective investigation into every suspected case of abuse of authority. Any police officer who has broken the law must be held accountable. The State Police cannot and must not become a political instrument to frighten, intimidate, or punish citizens who are exercising their constitutional right to protest. The use of force to generate fear and discourage civic participation is unacceptable in a democratic state.

Unfortunately, the violence inflicted in Zvërnec against a peaceful protester was not an isolated episode. It was repeated and intensified on July 2, when a group of protesters who for more than a month have been protesting continuously and largely peacefully were met with disproportionate use of force by the State Police. This repressive approach does not only target protesters, but undermines citizens’ very right to organize, to object, and to demand accountability from those in power.

At the same time, we demand the immediate release of protesters arrested for exercising their right to peaceful protest. Arbitrary detentions, criminal measures, as well as violence used by police officers, civilians, or unidentified individuals, cannot be used as tools of intimidation or repression against citizens exercising their constitutional rights.

We also express concern over information pointing to detailed and selective checks at customs points on citizens traveling to join tomorrow’s protest. If these actions are being used to hinder civic participation, they constitute an unacceptable form of pressure and intimidation against citizens exercising their constitutional rights. We demand public explanations and full transparency regarding these actions.

We call on the State Police, during tomorrow’s protest, to clearly distance itself from any act of violence, from any tolerance of infiltrated individuals, and from any action aimed at provoking or escalating the situation. The duty of the State Police is to guarantee the safety of citizens and the smooth running of the protest, not to fuel tensions or use force to obstruct the exercise of a constitutional right.

At the same time, we call on all citizens who will join tomorrow’s protest to protect its peaceful character. For more than 35 days, this civic movement has protested in a peaceful, democratic, and European manner against a corrupt and captured system. Any act of violence, regardless of who provokes it, whether by infiltrated individuals or provocateurs, would only serve those seeking to keep intact the criminal and corrupt system against which we are protesting.

We call on state institutions to respect the constitutional right to peaceful assembly and to ensure that no citizen faces violence, intimidation, or punishment because of participation in a protest. Protecting this right is the foundation of a democratic society and the rule of law.

Today we demand in one voice: “Free the boys!”

Meanwhile, we invite all citizens, without distinction, to join tomorrow’s protest in a massive, nationwide, and peaceful mobilization. Our strength comes from civic participation, from unity, and from the determination to defend democracy, the rule of law, and the future of the country. We will continue to protest peacefully, as on the first day, for a new Albania, without police violence, without state repression, and without a criminal and corrupt system that rules over the public interest.