Security officials made little effort to protect him after he reported the incidents, and he left the province for his safety. In November, IS fighters attacked Shamshad TV’s station in Kabul; one staff member was killed and others wounded. Nai reported that in 2016 it had submitted to the authorities at least 240 cases of violence against media workers, including reporters and journalists. One year later the government had taken no action in response and no one had been brought to justice. DEATH PENALTY TORTURE AND OTHER ILL-TREATMENT ALBANIA Afghans across the country remained at risk of torture and other ill-treatment, with little progress towards curbing impunity. The UN Committee against Torture found “widespread acceptance and legitimation of torture in Afghan society”. Many of those suspected of criminal responsibility continued to hold official executive positions, including in government. The Committee also found that detainees held by the National Directorate of Security, the Afghan National Police and the Afghan Local Police were subject to “beatings, electric shocks, suspensions, threats, sexual abuse, and other forms of mental and physical abuse”. UNAMA and OHCHR investigators who had interviewed 469 detainees said that 39% of them gave credible accounts of torture and other illtreatment during their arrest and interrogation. In March the government enacted an AntiTorture Law, which criminalized torture but did not provide for restitution or compensation to victims. Armed groups including the Taliban continued to commit crimes under international law, including killings, torture and other abuses as punishment for perceived crimes or offences. The executions and severe punishments imposed by the parallel justice system amounted to criminal acts under the law, and in some circumstances could amount to war crimes. Amnesty International Report 2017/18 In a revision to the Penal Code, life imprisonment replaced the death penalty for some offences. Five executions were carried out in November at Pul-e-Charki prison in Kabul. The Ministry of the Interior said that the five had been convicted in 2016 of murder and kidnapping, and that they had been executed despite their sentences being under review by three appeal courts. Republic of Albania Head of state: Ilir Meta (replaced Bujar Nishani in July) Head of government: Edi Rama Impunity persisted for past killings and enforced disappearances. Measures protecting women from domestic violence were inadequately implemented. Women and children were trafficked for forced prostitution and labour. Albania’s path to EU membership was hindered by slow progress in combating corruption and organized crime. BACKGROUND A political crisis preceded elections in June. The opposition Democratic Party, which organized street protests in February, boycotted the election process until May, when an EU and US-supported agreement promised them representation in government and state agencies. The ruling Socialist Party was returned with an increased majority. International observers reported incidents of voter intimidation and alleged vote-buying. Under a new mechanism established in January, by August 183 people, including author Ismail Kadare, applied to access secret police files held on them during the Communist period. In September, the International Commission on Missing Persons agreed to assist with the identification of bodies recovered from mass graves from the same period. 69