A 19-year-old has ended up at the Trauma Hospital with serious injuries after police intervened during the gathering held in Tirana. According to reports from the scene, the young man was not part of the protest, but a passerby who found himself in the middle of the crowd.
Reports: the young man was not a protester
It is reported that the 19-year-old, Ledjon Balla, from Librazhd, had not taken part in the protest. He was at a cafe and, after leaving, became caught up in the area where the crowd was gathered.
Then, according to this reported version of events, he was taken by police officers and assaulted during the intervention on the ground.
He ended up in hospital with a broken leg
As a result of the reported violence, the 19-year-old suffered a broken leg and was taken to the Trauma Hospital.
The case raises serious questions about the proportionality of the force used by police and the verification of whether those detained or struck were connected to the gathering.
His condition is reported to be the most serious among the injured
According to the head of the Emergency Department at the Trauma Hospital, the young man’s condition is more serious compared with the other injured people who arrived after the gathering.
Doctors are expected to carry out all necessary treatment in accordance with medical protocol.
So far, there has been no public clarification about the full circumstances of the incident or why the 19-year-old, reported to have been a passerby, ended up with fractures after contact with police.
The incident is adding to calls for transparency over how force was used by police during the management of the gathering in the capital.