Racial Discrimination in Albania: Village Elder Refuses Burial for Egyptian Community Member

 A troubling incident in the village of Katjel, in the municipality of Prrenjas, has sparked outrage after a 63-year-old woman from the Egyptian community was denied burial in the village cemetery. The case has drawn widespread condemnation and legal action, highlighting persistent discrimination against minority groups in rural areas of Albania.

Members of the Egyptian community in Albania speak to local media about this discrimination.

The deceased, Sofie Doda, had lived in the village for decades, yet when she passed away, the village elder, Enver Muça, along with the local council of elders, refused to allow her burial in the public cemetery. Their justification—that the Doda family was not “autochthonous” and therefore had no right to be buried in village land—has been widely condemned as discriminatory and a violation of fundamental human rights.

Lawyer Gentian Seirani, representing the family and supported by civil society organizations, filed a criminal complaint with the Elbasan Prosecutor’s Office. “This is undoubtedly a serious event that must set a precedent. We are dealing with actions that violate the dignity and respect of the deceased under Article 118 of the Penal Code. Furthermore, we consider this an act of racial discrimination, as it is clearly motivated by ethnic bias,” Seirani stated.

The incident provoked strong reactions from the Egyptian community and human rights advocates. After two days of protest and advocacy, Doda’s body was finally buried in the public cemetery of the town of Prrenjas—far from the village where she had spent most of her life.

This case has brought renewed attention to the treatment of minority communities in Albania, especially in rural areas where traditional structures often override legal standards. It underscores the urgent need for the state to enforce anti-discrimination laws and ensure that basic human rights—such as the right to a dignified burial—are respected for all citizens, regardless of their ethnic background or social status.

Civil society organizations have committed to monitoring the case closely and have called on authorities to hold those responsible accountable. They also emphasized the importance of systemic change to prevent such acts of exclusion and injustice from recurring.

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